The statements were made during the launch of the TTCBC Discount Card yesterday, at the National Cricket Centre at Balmain in Couva.

The ageing Lequay stated that when Lara contracted the “mystery” illness in Sri Lanka earlier this year during the ICC Champions Trophy tournament, the local board offered him assistance.

The outgoing head of the local board, Lequay, said that Lara never took up the offer and in fact never responded.

Lequay added that they had written the star batsman asking him to join the local team in their preparations for upcoming regional four-day tournament, but he again failed to respond.

“One minute we hear that he is playing golf in Barbados, the next we hear that he is in England. I am not sure where is he right now, but I think he needs cricket not golf,” Lequay said.

Suruj Ragoonath, former Test opening batsman and marketing officer for the TTCBC said this ‘Elite Club’ card would afford the nation’s 4 000 registered cricketers and associated members access to benefits from participating merchants.

Ragoonath said the venture also benefits the merchants who are asked to contribute $5 000 to enter the programme and will receive a 150 per cent tax credit for their contribution to sport. He said this a is ”win win” situation, benefiting cricketers with discounts and the merchants with an increased clientele.

Ragoonath said 17 merchants have already joined the programme and he hopes it would reach 100 in the near future. The cards which can be used immediately will be distributed free of any charge to cricketers.

Delivering the feature address, Vindra Naipaul, the CEO of Naipaul’s Extra Foods said a new attitude should be taken towards the development of national cricket. Naipaul said cricket has to take a business approach, which would encourage a every young player to become an excellent participant of the sport.

Naipaul called on players and nationals to develop a sense of patriotism and seek to develop and put the nation as the first thing on their agenda and bring back cricket to the level it was in its glory days.