watsayu
07-04-08, - 01:56 PM
Ali Butler is a national disgrace... I cannot see why he is holding up the progross of sprts in this country.. he seems to think that he is a Dinosaurs - Allie, you need to go.. you have served your time and you are now blocking progress... I am askin gyou to LEAVE and Leave now...
By SHELDON LONGLEY, NG Sports Editor, slongley@nasguard.com
Sir Arlington Butler has always said that he has no intention of continuing the longest presidency among sporting bodies in the country.
He also said that all he wanted was for the election of officers of the Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA) to be conducted in accordance with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Charter, and now, it appears that he will have his way once again. Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) President, Mario Vazquez Raņa, who was appointed by the IOC to bring quick resolve to the ongoing feud in the BOA, handed down a ruling yesterday in which he summoned the voting and non-voting members to a special General Assembly Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 24 at the Nassau Yacht Club. It is expected that the main focus of this meeting will be to establish a quorum and elect new officers of the BOA.
"I am certain that with this meeting, a regrettable chapter in the Olympic history of The Bahamas will be closed, and a new stage will begin, in which the Bahamian Olympic Movement will occupy the position that corresponds to it within regional, continental and international sport," said Raņa through e-mail sent to Butler. "I kindly request your cooperation and support," the e-mail continued. Just a few months ago, Raņa, sent a letter to Butler requesting information on the progress of a General Assembly Meeting of the BOA, but less than a month later, he further complicated the process by sending a letter to Rev. Enoch Backford and his team stating that he didn't authorize Butler to call a meeting. Backford and a new slate of officers were elected into the BOA administration on March 6, 2008, but Butler never recognized these elections as valid and just, stating that no quorum was in place. Now, it appears that the IOC through PASO President Raņa is in concurrence with Butler, or at least figure that the only way to bring any kind of resolution to this ridiculous infighting is through another scheduled General Assembly Meeting, where the respective delegates can duly and freely elect a qualified body for the betterment of the athletes, and as a way to contribute toward restoring its leadership as head of the Bahamian Olympic Movement.
"I have always been satisfied that this is the only way that we can solve the problem. It has been going on for far too long, and now there appears to be some sort of resolution ahead," said Butler. "The purported elections of March 6 were annulled. It is now being proven that it was annulled. There would be no need for an elections now if those March 6 elections were done according to the constitution. That's all I have been saying all along."
Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) President Mike Sands is at the point where he just wants the dilemma, which has been ongoing since November 2006, to be over with. Even in transit to join the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) team in Cali, Colombia yesterday, he still took time out to weigh in on the issue.
"At some point, I just wish that they would get it over with and focus on the business of administration," he said. "I would hope that we could come together in the best interest of the athletes. It's been going on for far too long and we really need to resolve this matter. Although it appears that the members of the BOA have been doing 'the administrative work' toward preparing the team for the Beijing Olympics," he added sarcastically, "there is so much more that needs to be done as it relates to sports development. As it stands now, the BOA can be more directly involved as it relates to putting the proper structure in place."
Sands said that, nevertheless, the BAAA will be represented in full force at the July 24 elections when he hopes they play a pivotal role in the electoral process. However, at the moment, he said his focus for the next 10-14 days is on the Bahamian team in Cali, Colombia, and when he gets back, he will hopefully converge with his colleagues in the various federations, when they will make a stand as it relates to candidates for the July 24 elections.
Last October would have given Butler 36 years in office, a period of nine consecutive terms. It was initially reported that he would seek to serve one final tern, in which he would groom a qualified successor to replace him in the following term. However, Butler has since said that he has no intention of offering himself as a candidate for the elections, thereby ending the longest presidency among local sporting bodies.
"I will play my part as immediate past president as designated by the constitution, but I will not be running for any office," he said. "I was really trying to get this done without any outside involvement but it seemed that all of the federations and executives were not on one accord. There will definitely be a quorum in place this time because without a quorum we will have trouble with representation in Beijing. All of the federations along with the executives have received notices to be at the meeting. I know that it is at the point now where they realize that they have something to lose. The only concern would be if we fail to conclude it.... then we would be in trouble, but I really don't expect there will be any failure to conclude these elections this time," he added.
Rev. Backford and his team of officers, who have been working feverishly to get a team to Beijing, China for the XXIX Olympic Games couldn't be reached for comment yesterday, but Butler fully expects for them to cooperate with the July 24 meeting date as directed by Raņa
By SHELDON LONGLEY, NG Sports Editor, slongley@nasguard.com
Sir Arlington Butler has always said that he has no intention of continuing the longest presidency among sporting bodies in the country.
He also said that all he wanted was for the election of officers of the Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA) to be conducted in accordance with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Charter, and now, it appears that he will have his way once again. Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) President, Mario Vazquez Raņa, who was appointed by the IOC to bring quick resolve to the ongoing feud in the BOA, handed down a ruling yesterday in which he summoned the voting and non-voting members to a special General Assembly Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 24 at the Nassau Yacht Club. It is expected that the main focus of this meeting will be to establish a quorum and elect new officers of the BOA.
"I am certain that with this meeting, a regrettable chapter in the Olympic history of The Bahamas will be closed, and a new stage will begin, in which the Bahamian Olympic Movement will occupy the position that corresponds to it within regional, continental and international sport," said Raņa through e-mail sent to Butler. "I kindly request your cooperation and support," the e-mail continued. Just a few months ago, Raņa, sent a letter to Butler requesting information on the progress of a General Assembly Meeting of the BOA, but less than a month later, he further complicated the process by sending a letter to Rev. Enoch Backford and his team stating that he didn't authorize Butler to call a meeting. Backford and a new slate of officers were elected into the BOA administration on March 6, 2008, but Butler never recognized these elections as valid and just, stating that no quorum was in place. Now, it appears that the IOC through PASO President Raņa is in concurrence with Butler, or at least figure that the only way to bring any kind of resolution to this ridiculous infighting is through another scheduled General Assembly Meeting, where the respective delegates can duly and freely elect a qualified body for the betterment of the athletes, and as a way to contribute toward restoring its leadership as head of the Bahamian Olympic Movement.
"I have always been satisfied that this is the only way that we can solve the problem. It has been going on for far too long, and now there appears to be some sort of resolution ahead," said Butler. "The purported elections of March 6 were annulled. It is now being proven that it was annulled. There would be no need for an elections now if those March 6 elections were done according to the constitution. That's all I have been saying all along."
Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) President Mike Sands is at the point where he just wants the dilemma, which has been ongoing since November 2006, to be over with. Even in transit to join the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) team in Cali, Colombia yesterday, he still took time out to weigh in on the issue.
"At some point, I just wish that they would get it over with and focus on the business of administration," he said. "I would hope that we could come together in the best interest of the athletes. It's been going on for far too long and we really need to resolve this matter. Although it appears that the members of the BOA have been doing 'the administrative work' toward preparing the team for the Beijing Olympics," he added sarcastically, "there is so much more that needs to be done as it relates to sports development. As it stands now, the BOA can be more directly involved as it relates to putting the proper structure in place."
Sands said that, nevertheless, the BAAA will be represented in full force at the July 24 elections when he hopes they play a pivotal role in the electoral process. However, at the moment, he said his focus for the next 10-14 days is on the Bahamian team in Cali, Colombia, and when he gets back, he will hopefully converge with his colleagues in the various federations, when they will make a stand as it relates to candidates for the July 24 elections.
Last October would have given Butler 36 years in office, a period of nine consecutive terms. It was initially reported that he would seek to serve one final tern, in which he would groom a qualified successor to replace him in the following term. However, Butler has since said that he has no intention of offering himself as a candidate for the elections, thereby ending the longest presidency among local sporting bodies.
"I will play my part as immediate past president as designated by the constitution, but I will not be running for any office," he said. "I was really trying to get this done without any outside involvement but it seemed that all of the federations and executives were not on one accord. There will definitely be a quorum in place this time because without a quorum we will have trouble with representation in Beijing. All of the federations along with the executives have received notices to be at the meeting. I know that it is at the point now where they realize that they have something to lose. The only concern would be if we fail to conclude it.... then we would be in trouble, but I really don't expect there will be any failure to conclude these elections this time," he added.
Rev. Backford and his team of officers, who have been working feverishly to get a team to Beijing, China for the XXIX Olympic Games couldn't be reached for comment yesterday, but Butler fully expects for them to cooperate with the July 24 meeting date as directed by Raņa