The Barrouallie Sports Association – Insolence

Fri, Feb 17, 2012

Editor: Please permit me a space in your weekly news paper to comment on an issue that I consider to be against the norms and good practices of sporting organisations, and a total disrespect to sponsors, donors and affiliates.{{more}}

The Barrouallie Sports Association held its general elections on February 4, 2012.

The 2012 – 2014 Executive reads:

Lorson Lewis – President (Opposed)

Ronin Francis – Vice President (Unopposed)

Moeth Gaymes – Treasurer (Unopposed)

Devron Poyer – Public Relations Organisation (Unopposed)

And like most elections of this type, many persons came to see and hear two major components that make elections interesting, exciting, and which generate a lot of questions to be answered. One is the Financial Statement, which I believe is the major concerns of the sponsors, donors, a few affilitates, and last but not least, a certiain section of the public. Second is the speech to made by the individuals vying for the post of President.

Editor, those who attended were treated with a chance to view the Financial Report in Power Point presentation. It was beautiful I tell you! Not the figures but the backdrop of the presentation. Thank GOD the sponsors and donors were not present. If they were, I believe that the meeting would have been rescheduled to a later date. To the dismay of genuine sports lovers, not even a hard copy of the Financial Statement was produced for ease of referencing, so scrutinizing and raising concerns was dictated by the presenter.

Editor, how can this be? Further, a public statement made by the Treasurer (who was elected unopposed) reads “Who said the Financial Statement is a public document, it will not be made available?”. This raised questions of the integrity and intention of these individuals. Isn’t that true, Editor? Well, let me address you, Mr. President, because the Treasurer spoke on your behalf.

1. The Barrouallie Sports Association is not a private but a public organisation which generates income through sponsors, donors and the affilitates. At regular periods, public organisations must prepare and produce a document called Financial Statements, which shows the financial performance of the organisation/company. They are used for both internal and external purposes.

2. The Public must be sensitized about the two year term, the development that took place and what monies given were used for, but to be a little more specific/ clearer, the financial statement (you refused to produce) shows exactly where the money goes – how it was made, where it was made, and most important, how was it spent, and any outstanding debts. A business, after all, has many areas where money flows in and out: operating activities, investing activities, financing activities. Isn’t this a public interest?

3. The person or persons vying for the various posts must be given a copy of the report to plan their term in office, if elected. They would also need this document as it would show (my favorite) any outstanding debts that would and should be present on the statement.

4. Financial reports are recorded documents. Persons in the public might want to move from just being an onlooker to becoming a sponsor, donor or an affiliate to help

in the development/change of sports in the community.

There are many more reasons I can give, but those are the more significant reasons, where it matters all. Your brave act has raised some concerns and questions that need to be answered. As a new columnist, I realize that whatever amount of corruption I expose, half of my readers will block it out, although they may get a frisson of joy in the process.

Where the global economy is falling, Mr. President, your act has implications and may cause sponsors and donors to refuse to play their customary roles or may reduce their imputs in developing sports in Barrouallie.

Editor, with corruption and issues surrounding money eating away at the morals of our society, added to that, all organisation/ institutions are prone to corruption and to the vices of their members, it should be in their best interest to produce such document to its members and various stakeholders.

I leave these two quotes for you all to ponder on as an organisation that is returning to office:

“A government, for protecting business only, is but a carcass, and soon falls by its own corruption and decay.”

“Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country, in our case the organization and community.”

I tell you, with freedom of speech and the permission given to print, you will be hearing from me again, Editor, Thank you in advance.

New Columnist