Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) executive member and West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) director Baldath Mahabir does not expect the relationship between the TTCB and WICB to be negatively affected by his loss in the WICB elections last Saturday in Kingston.
Mahabir, who went up for the post of vice president, lost 4-8 to the incumbent Emmanuel Nanthan while Joel Garner–president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) — was defeated by the same margin, up against Dave Cameron for the presidency. The elections were held as part of the WICB’s annual general meeting.
Cameron came under fire ahead of the elections for his handling of West Indies’ pull-out from the India tour last year. However Cameron and Nanthan were able to get re-elected for a second term which will end in 2017.
Despite challenging the status quo with Garner, Mahabir did not expect their relationship with the president and other members of the WICB to be negatively impacted. “I don’t think our relationship will change at all,” Mahabir insisted. “I don’t think there will be any victimisation. It is a small cricket community and I think the president understands that it is a democratic organisation and that he could be challenged; he is on record as saying he would welcome the challenge,” Mahabir said.
The T&T businessman said he felt the need to have a bigger role in influencing WICB policy moving forward which was one of the reasons why he and Garner mounted a challenge for the top WICB posts. He also noted that despite losing, he and Garner along with their respective territorial boards will still be able to contribute positively to the growth and development of the WICB.
“I think the election is over now and we (the TTCB and BCA) will be treated as equals going forward like the other cricket boards. We share an equal footing just like everybody else and I see no reason why that should not continue,” Mahabir added.
