Dr Sammy says current TTCB structure working

The proposal has gained favour by the majority of cricket clubs which is reflected in the results of Zonal elections which have swayed to Ramnarine’s slate.

The TT CB elections are scheduled for October 22 and Ramnarine has also called for an immediate remove of the 12 outgoing votes enjoyed by the Executive which he has repeatedly described as “unfair and undemocratic”.

Sammy, while not going in-depth into the pros and cons of the “one club-one vote” system, stressed that the current system is working properly.

“Since 1980 when the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board became a legal entity, its structure has always reflected a greater involvement of stakeholders, in keeping with a holistic approach to governance.

The Rees Commission Report which gave rise to the configuration of the board, promoted wider stakeholder participation in collective decision-making, thus the formation of zones, and the meaningful accommodation of primary and secondary schools, umpires, women’s cricket and Tobago.

They are all represented at the 49-member board level.

“One club, One vote is a populist chant that does not address the bigger issues of good governance reflective of wider stakeholder participation. Indeed, club representation remains dominant in the board’s structure and this was deliberately shaped to reflect their importance, since 1980. But the valuable contributions to cricket development from the 527 primary and 138 secondary schools, women, and Tobago cannot be sacrificed to reflect total club dominance.” He added: “Players are successful because of their inputs, but they also owe their achievements to the inputs of umpires, selectors, coaches, managers, physiotherapists, trainers, curators, scorers, the state and sponsors. The current cricket administrative pathway permits creative talent, from whoever it emerges, to rise to the top.” Dr Sammy, a former WICB Director noted that meaningful stakeholder involvement is integral to the corporate governance framework which recognises the rights of stakeholders and encourage active co-operation between and among entities.

“On representative national teams, our leadership and followership are not constrained by any geographic, financial, social or any such boundaries. We can boast of being a truly national organisation.

One club, One vote can never be a substitute for such inclusivity,” he concluded.