The Guyana Cricket Board has followed up on its threat to take legal action against Cricket West Indies over the election of Azim Bassarath as its vice-president.

Bassarath who is president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, was elected to the post at the annual general meeting of Cricket West Indies in March of 2023.

The GCB had nominated Bassarath but subsequently withdrew its nomination in writing before the elections were held, but after the nomination period had closed.

At the elections, the GCB’s representatives restated the Board’s withdrawal of the nomination and according to a release, objected to CWI’s decision to proceed with the election of Bassarath even though the nomination was withdrawn.

The GCB said the decision to withdraw its nomination of Bassarath was taken after the Guyana Board, received certain information, just prior to the CWI elections, that included serious allegations of misconduct at the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board.

Since the March elections, the GCB had repeatedly addressed the matter of Bassarath’s election with CWI.

The release said, “two letters were written to CWI president, Dr Kishore Shallow, requesting the legal basis upon which Bassarath was elected. There was no response to these letters.”

A meeting was convened by Dr. Shallow and other CWI representatives on July 05, 2023, but the matter remained unresolved.

Dr. Shallow stated that he had received legal opinion that the subject election was properly conducted and that he would submit that opinion, and the names of the lawyers who gave it, to the GCB and the other stakeholders.

This was never done, claimed the GCB.

The GBC release further stated: “The GCB, as a shareholder/full member of CWI, has a moral and legal duty to institute, promote and support the high standards and ideals of West Indies cricket and to ensure that there is full and unwavering compliance with the Articles of Association of CWI and that all elections held by CWI are conducted in accordance with the law especially now that with the emergence of the stated allegations.”