Guyana High Court issues injunction against entire Bissoondyal led faction of DCB

The High Court in Guyana granted an injunction against each and every member of the Bissoondyal led faction of the Demerara Cricket Board on the 8th February 2011 restraining them from holding themselves out or in any way performing the functions of the Demerara Cricket Board. Reports from Guyana indicate that Justice James Bovel-Drakes granted the injunction which will now continue until the 28th day of February 2011. The injunction was sought by the Secretary of the Raj Singh led faction of the Demerara Cricket Board. Legal experts in Guyana have said that as a result of the injunction the Raj Sing led faction of the Demerara Cricket Board in now the only entity lawfully entitled to administer cricket in Demerara. 

The ruling came despite reports in Guyana that Minister of Labour Mansoor Nadir had rushed through and registered as a Friendly Society the Bissoondyal faction of the Demerara Cricket Board. Senior Counsel in Guyana who did not wish to be named said that that would mean that the Bissoondyal faction is now outside the control of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) since the GCB is a registered Friendly Society with its affiliates all being unincorporated entities.Additionally, the newly registered Bissoondyal faction of the Demerara Cricket Board does not include in its membership the East bank Cricket Association and the West Demerara Cricket Association which would mean that if the Bissoondyal faction's registration is proper and allowed to represent Demerara Cricket then two divisions have no affiliation to the Guyana Cricket Board; plunging all the club players in the excluded clubs into non-selection for the Guyana Cricket Team. In cricket circles it is being said that the folly of Bissoondyal and his polotical gang have been exposed as they have now apparently "out-smarted" thenselves, to use popular Guyanese parlance.

Additionally, Bissoondyal boasted last night that his political backers will force the High Court judge to rule in his favour when the matter comes up for hearing. He boasted that "we will have to tell the judge what to do"; however, the same Senior Counsel in Guyana said he doubted this judge in particular could be subject to external influence in matters before him.

Dinanath Ramnarine, the Chief Executive of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) last night in an invited comment said that "its unfortunate that the backward judicial system of Guyana is the forum for all this litigation [there was an injunction granted against WIPA by the Chief Justice of Guyana]; the judges there are not capable of understanding the issues at hand. These matters should be heard in Trinidad". Ramnarine said he had spoken to Roachie [Bissoondyal is called "Roachie" by his friends] and he was confident that the proper Board would soon be administering Demerara cricket. Ramnarine said he is unlikely to visit Guyana in the near future unless a meeting with Bissoondyal or the politicians is necessary. "Boy, I am in contact with Roachie and Irfan [junior Minister of Housing Irfan Ali] all the time by telephone, I don't need to go there ... yes?" Ramnarine said with a smile. "Don't worry; we have things under control" he said.

The Court matter continues on 28th February 2011.

WIPA behind cricket dispute in Guyana

The ongoing dispute over the control and administration of Guyana's cricket took a new twist when sources confirmed that Dinanath Ramnarine, the Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) was actively behind the Bissoondyal faction of the Demerara Cricket Board. Sources in Trinidad confirmed that Ramnarine boasted about having the politicians in Guyana "eating out of his hands". He said his plan to remove the current Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) was hatched since the GCB obtained an injunction last year in August/ September restraining WIPA from representing the Guyana Players. Ramnarine said at that time he discussed with "his soldier" Ramnaresh Sarwan, the Guyana Test Cricketer, the plan to remove the current Board of the GCB and have the legal proceedings already filed against him withdrawn by that new Board installed by him. Bissoondyal was the identified candidate because in the words of Ramnarine "I could control him easily and he will listen to Sars". Additionally, Ramnarine further said that he has arranged with Sars to have junior Minister of Housing Irfan Ali campaign for his chosen candidate. He further said his level of influence extended to President Bharrat Jagdeo who he claims "consults him on all cricketing matters". Ramnarine said "I could pick up the phone now and tell Jagdeo what to do about cricket."

Ramnarine boasts were made at a time when rumors abound in cricketing circles in Guyana that he is trying to put persons favourable to him on the GCB and to remove persons who are against WIPA. Political interference is alleged in the Guyana media; a situation which could get Guyana banned from international cricket.

A source in the Guyana Cricket Team confirmed that Ramnarine had indeed said he would bring down the GCB and take over Guyana cricket. When asked Ramnarine flippantly said that he had removed "CEO's and Presidents of the WICB [West Indies Cricket Board]; how hard would it be to remove Guyana Cricket officials?". The Trinidadian source also confirmed that Ramnarine was very derogatory of Guyanese generally labelling them and "backwards and primitive" and President Jagdeo as a man who "did not grasp what was fully at stake with Guyana Cricket ... he just does not have the intellect to appreciate what is at stake; I had to show him whats the real value in cricket". This is not the first time Ramnarine is on record as being derogatory to Guyanese, the local media had carried verbatim statements from Ramnarine during the Caribbean Twenty/ 20 last year where he referred to Guyanese cricketers as "hungry-belly" and "stupid"; when they signed the participation contracts for the Airtel Champions League 2010.

Ramnarine had made similar boasts when he removed persons unfavourable to him from the Trinidad Cricket Board and installed a Board favourable to himself at the last elections in Trinidad.