Central Zone warns against proposal to remove Umpires Council at TTCB meeting

Fri, Aug 2, '24

The stakes will be high when the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board stages its third 2023-24 quarterly meeting tomorrow.

Amendments to the Board’s constitution are on the agenda, in particular, the taking away of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Umpires’ Council’s (TTCUC’s) Affiliate Member status.

A two-thirds majority vote would be needed to bring this proposed amendment into effect. If such happens, then the TTCUC would no longer have voting power within the TTCB and could also be replaced as the body responsible for providing officials for matches in T&T.

According to the TTCUC, local umpires are expected to show up at the meeting to show support for their body.

In a release this week, the Central Zone of the TTCB — which is headed by Kellman Kowlessar, who is also president of the Umpires Council — outlined the difficulties it had with the move, stating: Our specific cause for concern is the reported intention of the TTCB to remove the Trinidad and Tobago Umpires Council (TTCUC) as an affiliate of the board as well as the intention to remove zonal umpires’ bodies from their respective zones. The Central Zonal Council as well as all zones within the country stand to be adversely affected by this surprise move, done without consultation and urges the board members to halt this process.”