sports
Jonathan Ramnanansingh
Kiswa Chaithu's appeal against his dismissal as TT Cricket Board (TTCB) treasurer on February 28 is adjourned to allow the board's lawyers to make further written submissions in response to Chaithu's appeal. It was done.
This was confirmed by Mr Chaithu's lawyers Dinesh Rambari and Stephen Ramkissun after his appeal was heard by the TTCB Supreme Appeals Committee at the National Cricket Center in Couva on Tuesday.
Mr Lambari and Mr Ramkissoon were prepared to proceed, but the chairman, Justice Prakash Moosai, said the committee's lawyers needed to respond in writing to Mr Chaithu's earlier submissions.
At Tuesday's hearing, the committee said Chaitou's previous submissions raised several “interesting” and “pertinent” points, and that the matter would only proceed if the board responded in writing. He said he could.
The TTCB, under the guidance of lawyers Navindra Ramnanan and Henry Chase, was given a May 27 deadline to file. Chaitoo's legal team was given his June 10 deadline to file final submissions in response to submissions submitted by the TTCB.
After considering both submissions, Judge Mousai and the remaining members of the committee will consider the submissions and decide whether a further in-person hearing is necessary or whether the Supreme Court of Appeal will decide the matter on paper. This will be shown to the parties involved.
Mr Chaitou's lawyers have confirmed that they will advise both parties on how to proceed with the hearing by mid-June.
Chaitou's appeal to remove him as TTCB treasurer was the result of a series of events that began in December 2023. At the time, the company's treasurer disclosed to board members that approximately $500,000 may have been misappropriated over a five-year period. .
Subsequently, the TTCB employee resigned and Chaithu also reported the matter to the police.
After submitting its report, the executive branch met again on January 10, and a motion of no confidence in Chaitou was passed.
The meeting led to a special general meeting on February 28, where 35 members voted in favor of his removal and 12 voted against. That goes beyond the requirements for removing him as Treasurer.
Six days later, Mr. Rambally and Mr. Ramkissoon challenged the board's procedure to make the no-confidence motion against him illegal. They sent a notice of appeal to the Board's Supreme Appeals Committee on the same day.
The motion of no confidence was described by its sponsors as “misunderstood, baseless, (and) abusive.''
However, the TTCB's March 7 statement defended the board's process, saying the no-confidence motion was “due to his (Chaitoo's) role in leaking the inner workings of the TTCB to the public without the necessary approval.” It was carried out successfully.”
Chaitou also discusses matters of concern, including obtaining and unauthorized possession of TTCB documents, going to the police without board approval, and making false statements to the media at a shareholders' meeting. He was also accused of refusing to meet with executives for the sake of the president.
In defending the police report, Mr. Chaitu reminded board members that as professional accountants, they are bound by the integrity provisions of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Code of Ethics.
The Central Zone and North Zone Cricket Boards have since issued statements questioning the basis for Chaitou's dismissal and some of the board's financial decisions and transparency over the years.
General Secretary Altaf Baksh also represented the board on Tuesday.