QPCC issues an apology to Persaud

The Queen’s Park Cricket Club has disassociated itself with remarks alleged to have been made by former West Indies Test opening batsman Bryan Davis, in another daily newspaper, concerning the CEO and General Secretary of the T&T Cricket Board, Forbes Persaud. And as such, the QPCC, through its acting President, William Lucie-Smith has issued an apology to Persaud and by extension, the T&TCB.

“As you may know Bryan (Davis) is currently employed with QPCC on a contract as a Cricket Administrator, but his comments are most certainly not the views of QPCC nor is he authorised to speak on behalf of QPCC. Nevertheless, Bryan is a long-time stalwart of Trinidad cricket and the press do seek out his views,” Lucie-Smith said. Lucie-Smith added that he had spoken to Davis about the article which was based on a telephone interview and his intention was to praise the performance of Dudnath Ramkessoon and not to denigrate Persaud or the T&TCB.

“He (Davis) did not claim any association with QPCC. Unfortunately it did not come across like that. QPCC is associated with a number of very knowledgeable cricketers and former selectors and we can neither gag them nor vet their comments. However, we deeply regret this incident and assure you that the views expressed are not ours,” Lucie-Smith added. Lucie-Smith said QPCC agree that Ramkessoon was an excellent and successful chairman of selectors. However, the recent success of T&T cricket is in no small part due to the continued excellent and sustained leadership by the TTCB including its and chairman Deryck Murray.

“The TTCB have been and remain exemplars in the field of sport administration and QPCC cherishes the excellent relationship that exists with the TTCB,” Lucie-Smith said. He congratulated Persaud on the professional manner in which he ignored the article at the launch of the Gerry Gomez Classic and assured him of the club’s continued support at all times. Contacted yesterday, Davis stressed that the issue of the removal of Ramkessoon as chairman of the National senior selectors were not addressed by persons interviewed in a recent article in the Trinidad Guardian. “ Why did they remove Ramkessoon — a man of good experience, when good administrators are hard to find,” Davis said.

Naz Yacoob
Trinidad Guardian