Body building: The Real Issue

02.OCT.09

EDITOR: It was never our intention to respond to the utterances of Korean Williams, stating that she is the bona fide President of the St.Vincent and the Grenadines Amateur Body Building Powelifting and Fitness Federation (SVGABBPFF). However, many persons who are very involved in the sport of body building feel that someone should respond to Korean.{{more}}

The drama started to unfold after persons around Korean Williams, as well as several bodybuilders, openly expressed concern about the total disregard of the sport of bodybuilding for such a long time by Ms. Williams. It is felt that no emphasis was being placed on the development of Body building here in St.Vincent and the Grenadines. Many thought that the sport has declined drastically under her watch as president and that measures be put in place at once to bring back the sport where it belongs.

Based on the above, several persons called on both of us (Steve Victory and John McLean) to take back the organization that both of us along with Larry Seales (deceased) fought hard to establish in 1983 under the name ‘St.Vincent and the Grenadines Amateur Body Building Federation.”

It was on the 23rd February, 2002, that Ms. Williams was given the mandate to take care of the affairs of the SVGBBPFF. However, she chose to squander the opportunity to do so. She failed to abide by the rules and regulations of the constitution of the SVGABBPFF.

The saga between Ms. Williams and both myself and Mr. McLean came out of a “NO CONFIDENCE” motion brought against her and her executive. The “NO CONFIDENCE” came about because of the Constitutional irregularities. Firstly, as President of the SVGABBPFF Ms. Williams had no annual general meeting (AGM) and general elections in 2006 and 2008 based on the procedures outlined in the constitution of the SVGABBPFF. The one and only AGM took place in 2004. According to the constitution, general elections should take place every two years at the AGM.

Secondly, the SVGABBPFF has been on leave since 2006, thus the SVGABBPFF is deemed a non-functioning organization. Thirdly, there was an absence of proper development programmes for bodybuilding in St.Vincent and the Grenadines as Ms. Williams discriminated against some of the bodybuilding gyms in St.Vincent and the Grenadines with the exception of the Power Zone, Grand View and Silvers Gym.

Finally, as President of the SVGABBPFF, she had failed to have the annual National bodybuilding Championships. According to the IFBB Caribbean every national federation is obligated to have these championships.

As a result of the “NO CONFIDENCE” call, a committee was installed. This Committee was referred to as “The Concerned Body Building Enthusiasts”. The Committee drafted a letter which was then circulated to all the gyms to get the signatures of persons in support of the “No Confidence”.

The next step taken by the Committee was to submit a letter to the Minister of Sports asking his assistance in carrying out an urgent investigation into the SVGABBPFF. The Minister then instructed the officials within his ministry to meet our delegation. This meeting took place on Friday, 16th January, 2009, at the Ministry of Sports. After putting forward our case, the officials at the Ministry of Sports advised us to send a letter to Ms. Williams inviting her to meet with our Committee to discuss our concern about the present status of the SVGABBPFF.

A letter dated 10th February, 2009, was sent to Ms. Williams informing her of the meeting on Saturday, 21st February, 2009, at the Doris McKie Learning Resource Centre, Upper Cane Hall, commencing at 5.00 pm. As a matter of fact, I delivered the letter by hand to the Vice President of the SVGABBPFF, Mrs. Rechanne Browne-Matthias. A few days later, Ms. Williams called me acknowledging the receipt of the letter. Mr. McLean even indicated to me that Ms. Williams called at his home and was trying to put up an argument. Unfortunately, Ms. Williams never turned up to this meeting. As a result, the Committee decided to meet on Wednesday, 4th March, 2009, at the same venue and do exactly what is best in the interest of bodybuilding, thus the birth of this New Executive.

Having given my side of the story, I wish to inform the public that this NEW EXECUTIVE is adamant that it will be carrying the name “St.Vincent and the Grenadines Amateur Body Building Power lifting and Fitness Federation (SVGABBPFF).

In closing, I wish to say all those with ears will hear and those with eyes will see. I am confident that the Ministry of Sports will fix the problem.

Steve Victory