ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that it will hold elections for the office of Vice President on September 20, 2024, following a decision by the High Court of Guyana that declared the previous election of Azim Bassarath as null and void.
The ruling, issued on August 5, 2024, found that the election, held on March 25, 2023, violated CWI’s Articles of Association, prompting the need for a new vote.
The decision to move forward with re-elections was confirmed at a CWI Board of Directors meeting on August 8, 2024, where it was agreed that the new election should take place as soon as possible. As a result, Mr. Bassarath has vacated the office of Vice President.
Need for continuous evolution
CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow commented on the situation, acknowledging the need for continuous evolution within the organization. “This situation presents an invaluable opportunity to strengthen the CWI Memorandum and Articles of Association. Over time, policies and frameworks will always be tested. As a Board, we must remain open-minded and committed to evolving in all aspects; this circumstance is a testament to such fact,” Dr. Shallow said.
Dr. Shallow also expressed gratitude to Mr. Bassarath for his cooperation and professionalism throughout the process, stating, “I am particularly grateful for the level of cooperation and professionalism in which Mr. Bassarath has handled this matter, and therefore extend my gratitude to him for such.”
A Special Meeting of Members, pursuant to CWI’s Articles of Association, will be convened on September 20, 2024, solely to elect a new Vice President.
Legal challenge initiated by the GCB
The High Court ruling stemmed from a legal challenge initiated by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), which had nominated Bassarath for the Vice President position in January 2023 but withdrew the nomination before the election. The GCB cited concerns related to Bassarath’s conduct as President of the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board. Despite these concerns and the subsequent legal action, neither Mr. Bassarath nor CWI filed defenses or applications within the timeline set by the Court, leading to the ruling against them.
Following the court’s decision, CWI issued a press release acknowledging the ruling and confirming plans to appeal. The statement read, “The respondents respectfully differ with the Court’s ruling. Consequently, CWI has instructed its legal team to immediately file an appeal and will await the decision of the appellate Court.”
As the process unfolds, CWI will focus on preparing for the upcoming election, with the goal of moving forward and addressing the concerns raised by the legal challenge.
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