SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ Cricket League (SSCL) president Surujdath Mahabir has joined the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board’s (TTCB) presidential race.
Mahabir will vie for the board’s top post against incumbent Azim Bassarath, who is seeking a fifth term in office. Mahabir, the former TT off-spinner, filed his nomination papers at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre in Couva just after noon on Friday, the final day for nominations.
The TTCB elections will be held at the same venue on October 30 from 9 am to 1 pm. Altogether 49 board members will vote for six executive positions – president, first vice-president, second vice-president, third vice-president, general secretary and treasurer.
The incumbents are Bassarath (president), Arjoon Ramlal (first vice-president), Kerwin John (second vice-president), Parasram Singh (third vice-president), Mahabir (general secretary) and Sukesh Manian (treasurer).
Mahabir however, seeks to transform the leadership of local cricket by having a more “inclusive and democratic administration”.
Other confirmed nominations will see Shareda Mohammed contest for TTCB’s first vice-president post, Maniam vying for the position of third vice-president, Altaf Baksh (general secretary) and Sharaz Mohammed (executive member). Winston Sobers has also thrown his hat into the ring for an independent position.
Mahabir said he is working on an initiative titled Project 10,000 which is geared towards getting 10,000 young persons – girls and boys under the age of 18 – meaningfully engaged in cricket programmes and activities over the next three-year term.
The newly elected president on October 30 however, will serve a four-year term after recent changes to the TTCB constitution were unanimously approved earlier this month.
On Monday, the elections committee will reveal the final list of confirmed candidates for this year’s election. This committee comprises of five members, headed by attorney Ronald Simon.
On his brazen challenge to oppose veteran Bassarath, Mahabir seeks change.
“We have identified that there has been stagnation and even a decline in many aspects of our cricket prior to this (pandemic), especially in visionary proactive leadership, youth development, team performances and club structure and sustainability,” he said.
A statement issued by Mahabir on Friday highlighted Bassarath’s statements in a recent newspaper article where he said he still has “unfinished business” as TTCB president.
Mahabir believes this particular statement “exemplifies our belief that a change of leadership is urgently needed”.
He thinks the only way to address the sport’s “decline, post covid19” is to reignite interest among young people and clubs.
Mahabir said this will require a new vision, futuristic planning, participatory decision-making, enhanced internal relationships and effective networking, with and among all stakeholders, supporters and well-wishers of the game.
The statement added, “It
