Azim Bassarath, president of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has made a stirring and passionate appeal for unity in the local cricket fraternity.
He did so on Saturday at the annual TTCB awards function which was staged for team champions and “Cricketers of the Year” who participated in the 2017 season.
The event was held in the auditorium of the Brian Lara Stadium at Tarouba and attracted a large cross-section of the local cricket community.
The TTCB, led by Bassarath, has been taken to court by a group of officials of the National League who are challenging the ruling body’s constitution.
But on Saturday, Bassarath said cricket is not being best served by litigation and called on all parties to bury the hatchet and work together for the benefit of cricket.
He started his speech by pointing out that this evening marks an historic occasion, as it marks the time that an annual cricket function is taking place at the new Brian Lara Cricket Stadium. He said, “We have no hesitation in stating our satisfaction in having the impressive cricket facility opened to the public of Trinidad and Tobago.
The TTCB was more than happy to have played its part in helping to secure certification from the regional authorities, which allows the venue to host regional and international matches.
History will record that the T&T CB has championed the cause, on behalf of cricketers and fans, to have the stadium opened and put an end to the controversy that has dogged it for more than a decade.
“In many ways the BLCA epitomises the struggle that the TTCB has waged for 37 years since the administration of the sport was legally handed over to the people of this nation. Since that momentous day in 1980, successive cricket administrations have made it a priority to put the game and those who play it, at the forefront of its development plan. Observers of the sport will note its progress over the years where we have moved from ground zero to establishing the Red Force as one of the hottest cricket brands in world cricket.
Everyone involved in the sport, especially parents, teachers, coaches and administrators, will attest to the sacrifices that have to be made in this remarkable journey,” he said to the gathering.
Bassarath said, “Yet it gives us great joy and pride when our sportsmen and women achieve their fullest potential and provide so much pride and joy to their families, friends, communities and our nation.
But one year on from our last Awards Function, cricket is precariously placed on an entirely different landscape.
We are facing some of the biggest ever threats to the growth and development of the game, which, if not handled well can have wide and far-reaching consequences. At the top of the list is the dwindling availability of funds which has reached an alarming stage, despite the best efforts of the TTCB.”
October marked the second year that the sport’s annual general meeting (AGM) had to be postponed because of a legal challenge, in which Bassarath addressed. He said, “So, while the sturdy structure of local cricket remains tall and strong, able to withstand unjustified attacks on its integrity, there is a much more sinister assault for the soul of national cricket. This fight has reached the court of law and has had a very negative and debilitating effect on the sport, tarnishing the efforts of its hardworking administrators, and placing the future of our young cricketers in jeopardy.”
Still in his three-year term as president he pointed out to the sport’s stakeholders that were present reminding them that, “I want to impress upon you here that as the Chief Servant of the TTCB, I am extending an olive branch to all those who are contributing to the quagmire that we find ourselves in.” He said, “Friends, a house divided cannot stand and will fall apart as soon as the first hard breeze blows. We have come too far to let personal opinions and personalities get in the way of progress and development. We need to be unified in the best interest of cricket, pooling our resources to create a better future.”
