Much ado about nothing

The tranquillity and the almost sedate atmosphere in which the Team Athletics SVG’s electoral meeting was staged last Monday at the Xpert Computer Centre conference room, proved that the big hullaballoo that was being made prior to the elections amounted to be much ado about nothing.

Anyone who was following the local airwaves and perused social media and the newspapers over the past year, would have conceded that everything was wrong with athletics here.

So, one would have thought that those who were so concerned about their take on the state of track and field in St Vincent and the Grenadines would have got a movement that could cause a groundswell of changes.

But that was not the case, as not a pin dropped, neither were many of the issues, the alleged discrepancies, among others, mooted at last Monday’s meeting.

Instead, the principal officers, like the other new faces on the executive, were all elected unopposed to administer the sport for the next four years.

The fact that no one opposed any of the persons nominated for positions may not be the best for the administration of sports here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

But to put the protocols of control of the national track and field organization into perspective, there is only a handful of affiliates who have the authority to effect change.

So, it could have been opportune for the many concerns raised by some vocal persons of the athletics fraternity to right the wrongs.

Now, in the inner circle of Team Athletics SVG, hopefully one would see the marked changes in all aspects of the modus operandi.

It cannot be business as usual, as the executive has to look long and hard at some of the criticisms which have been levelled at the personnel in place and seek to sift them out and address those which are plausible.

Affiliates too, have to assume greater proactivity, as complaining that the executive does not convene meetings is meaningless, when they have the tools to shake up things when they seem to be stale.

Similarly, the last executive which was elected in December 2013, many of the officers fell by the wayside, thus leaving a few to carry out the duties of the organization.

Hence, the new faces elected last Monday should avoid such a repeat. It is common for elected officers, for some reason, to fail to continue in their posts.

If such happens during the quadrennial, affiliates should exercise their responsibilities and ensure that the vacant posts are filled in a timely manner.

As a matter of imperative, the executive of the sport should map out the course to position track and field for take-off, as most in the know of track and field in this country are on board; hence, the only way should be up.

Mending those broken fences which have come about through public airings of issues of the organization, too, is a critical part of the reconstructing process of Team Athletics SVG’s image to the public.

What though took place at last Monday’s meeting of Team Athletics SVG, speaks to a wider concern nationally, as such happenings are occurring too often.

So, we have become a stock who prefer to stand aside and heap criticisms, but when action is called and decisive actions need to be taken, we cower behind excuse mechanisms.

Nationally, everyone has the solution of getting the things which are going awry put in good stead, but their verbose expositions remain without the consequential corrective actions.

Therefore, the assessment points to a crisis in volunteerism and a deeper leadership as a whole among our people.

Sports, though, should not always vice itself in the scheme of things and find ways to wiggle itself out from the snare of lack of commitment.