It appears that no aspect of Guyanese life is free from politics. Whether it is a particular promoter hosting a super concert or the reviewing of lecturers’ contracts at the University of Guyana, one can rest assured that politics will prevail. Sadly today, we see politics brazenly breaking and entering the world of Guyanese sport; particularly cricket.

As 2011 came to an end, a mischievous plot which for some time was being conceived matured into a full-fledged monster, which has now high-jacked cricket administration in Guyana. Today, instead of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) being the legal body in charge of cricket in Guyana, Guyanese are witnessing a political creature in the form of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) being forced upon the sport as its ‘new’ management.

The apparent argument that the government has with the GCB is that it is a corrupt body that has consistently mismanaged the administration of the sport, resulting in Guyanese cricket being in its most atrocious state. Therefore, the government needs to rescue cricket by hoisting this ill-conceived IMC onto the sport. While the government and anyone for that matter have the right to accuse the GCB of impropriety, it can be argued that it is the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), and ultimately the International Cricketing Council (ICC), that should be the legitimate bodies to intervene in the business of the GCB.

The Guyana government has absolutely no right to meddle in the business of the GCB. Quite frankly the Guyana government ought not to be meddling in the administration of sporting bodies that are supposed to be autonomous. That the Minister of Sports can take it upon himself to barge into the business of the GCB and forcibly eject them from their legitimate responsibility of administering cricket in Guyana is reckless and notoriously misguided.

With absolutely no legal basis, the IMC is attempting to effect a run-out on the GCB. Those in charge of the administration of cricket in both the Caribbean and internationally have all unanimously declared ‘not out’.

The Guyana government strong arming of the GCB has been met with the harshest criticisms from both the WICB and the ICC. Recently in Dubai, the ICC released a strongly worded statement indicating that:  "The ICC Board reiterates the principle of non-interference in the sport by governments and were concerned to learn of the developments in Guyana where the Government has dissolved the Guyana Cricket Board and replaced it with an Interim Management Committee." It continued, "In condemning this government’s intervention in the strongest possible terms, the ICC Board reaffirmed the principle of non-interference and reiterated that the only legitimate cricketing authority is that recognised by the West Indies Cricket Board."

Discerning cricketing fans in Guyana are now being faced with the dark prospects of not having cricket matches played in Guyana. The WICB while it has agreed in principle to recognise the IMC as an “advisory body” will be pulling the first four matches of the Regional Four-Day Championship from the Guyana government-owned National Stadium at Providence. A decision on the third test match between Australia and West Indies that is supposed to be played in Guyana at the same venue is yet to be made by the WICB.

It is a sad pity that Guyanese cricket fans are turning out to be the collateral damage of this impasse. What is also sad is that the best West Indian Captain and Guyanese sportsman Clive Lloyd is caught up in this unholy alliance. This stance does not auger well for his formidable sporting administration image.

Cricket has always been regarded as a ‘gentleman’s sport’. It would be very pleasing to all if the issues regarding the GCB and the Guyana government could be handled gentlemanly. Putting chains and padlocks on the legitimate premises of the GCB is not civil and is far removed from graciousness.

Poor Minister, he took a drive at the GCB and has been caught in the slips.