CWI to hold re-election of vice-president in September following High Court ruling

St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that elections for the vice-president position will be held on September 20, 2024, after the Guyana High Court ruled that the previous election of Azim Bassarath was invalid.

The ruling, issued on 5 August 2024, ruled that the elections held on 25 March 2023 had violated the CWI’s constitution and therefore required a new vote.

On 8 August 2024, the CWI Board of Directors meeting confirmed the decision to proceed with the re-election and agreed to hold new elections as soon as possible. As a result, Mr. Basarat resigned as Vice President.

The need for continuous evolution

Commenting on the situation, CWI Chairman Dr Kishore Shallow acknowledged the need for the organisation to continually evolve. “This situation provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen the CWI Memorandum and Constitution. Policies and frameworks will always be tested over time. As a Board, we must remain open-minded and committed to evolving in all aspects; this situation is a testament to that fact,” said Dr Shallow.

Dr. Shalo also thanked Mr. Basaras for his cooperation and professionalism throughout the process, saying: “I am particularly grateful for the level of cooperation and professionalism with which Mr. Basaras handled this matter, and I would like to thank him for that.”

– advertise –

According to the CWI’s statutes, a special general meeting will be held on September 20, 2024, specifically to elect a new vice-president.

Legal Challenges Launched by GCB

The High Court’s ruling stems from a legal challenge launched by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), which had nominated Bassarath as Vice-President in January 2023 but withdrew its nomination prior to the elections. The GCB cited concerns about Bassarath’s conduct as Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board. Despite these concerns and the subsequent legal proceedings, neither Mr Bassarath nor the CWI filed a defence or application within the time specified by the court, resulting in a ruling against them.

Following the court’s ruling, CWI issued a press release acknowledging the decision and confirming plans to appeal. “The defendant disagrees with the court’s decision. As a result, CWI has instructed its legal team to file an immediate appeal and await the decision of the Court of Appeal,” the statement read.

As the process unfolds, CWI will focus on preparing for the upcoming elections with the goal of moving forward and addressing the concerns raised by the legal challenges.