Ex-TTCB board members boycott Finance meeting

And this has triggered speculation there is an internal disunity among those five members who held senior offices in the former administration.

Newly elected president Deryck Murray called the meeting to deal with the financial aspect of the local board but vice president Dudnath Ramkessoon; treasurer Richard de Souza along with executive members, Arjoon Ramlal, Patrick Rampersad and Anne Brown-John did not attend.

The five sat under the former TTCB administration headed by ex-president, Ellis Lewis and past CEO, Alloy Lequay.

Rampersad said his absence from the meeting was in protest over Murray’s disrespect for the composition of the executive and the electorate.

"It is absolutely no respect to a commitment made at an executive meeting, when the president took the responsibility to set statutory dates and time for executive meetings," Rampersad said.

"In the case of Saturday’s meeting, it was not a statutory date. I was just notified of the meeting. I was not consulted."

Ramkessoon said he had been absent because of work commitments.

"I received a circular by fax on Tuesday concerning the meeting from the TTCB’s office,’’ Ramkessoon said.

"I immediately notified Radhica Paulsingh that I would be unable to attend, as every second Saturday of each month, there are management meetings." The only female member of the executive, Browne-John, also indicated that due to previous engagements, she was unable to attend.

Newly elected general secretary of the TTCB, Forbes Persaud, confirmed Wednesday that he had been informed by de Souza and Ramlal of their unavailability.

The meeting, held at the National Cricket Centre at Balmain in Couva, was attended by six members of the "Friends of Cricket" who were elected to the executive in October.

Those present were Murray; second vice president, Azim Bassarath; general secretary, Forbes Persaud, and executive members Dr Allen Sammy, Omar Khan and Leo Doodnath.

Khan, who is also manager of the TT team, said that the meeting was well within the constitution since there was a quorum.