Williams claims legality

Another episode in the saga relating to the right to be called the Executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Amateur Body Building Power Lifting and Fitness Federation (SVGABBFF) has unfolded.{{more}}

One of the main persons in the legality row, Korean Williams, is reiterating that she is the bonafide head of the bodybuilding organisation and her Executive is the duly elected one.

Williams, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT last Monday, re-affirmed her stance.

Williams stated that Steve Victory and John Mc Lean, two of the persons who are claiming to be the lead members of the Executive of the SVGABBFF, some years ago went about and formed the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Natural Body Building and Weightlifting Federation.

Mc Lean recently produced documents to SEARCHLIGHT showing that elections to the national body, the SVGABBFF, were held March 4, this year, at the Doris McKie Learning Resource Centre at Cane Hall.

He outlined that at that meeting, Victory was elected President and he, Treasurer.

The other members of the Executive, according to Mc Lean, are Secretary – Vaughn Martin, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer – Shannel Nanton, Public Relations Officer – Javal Frank, with Committee Members – Ulrick White, Elizabeth Thompson, Odley Spence, Gregory Harry and Weightlifting Coach Matthew Llewelyn.

He pointed out to SEARCHLIGHT that the call for fresh elections stemmed from a petition to this effect signed by 25 persons.

In counteracting Mc Lean’s claim, Williams said: “The persons who signed the petition are not affiliates of the SVGABBFF, they are members of the ‘Natural’ body”.

She further stated: “The gyms which are affiliated to us are Power Zone in Mustique, Silver’s Gym of Cane Garden, and the Grand View Gym”.

Williams stated that the one member who signed the petition, Andre “OE” Browne, who holds the post of Public Relations Officer on her Executive, did so without the knowledge that it was the purpose of getting rid of themselves.

“Will someone do that against themselves?” Williams questioned.

Williams noted that the rest of her Executive is Vice President – Rechanne Browne-Matthias, Secretary- Lana James, and Assistant Secretary Treasurer- Osbourne Williams.

A check by SEARCHLIGHT to the National Sports Council (NSC) and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) has vindicated Williams, as personnel at both secretariats say they have not received any correspondence to a change in the Executive of the SVGABBFF.

“Furthermore, I am the President of the East Caribbean Body Building and Fitness Federation, which is one of four Central America and Caribbean (CAC) affiliates, comprising also the Antilles, Central America and South America, to the International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB), so if there were a new Executive to be elected in St. Vincent and the Grenadines I would have been informed”, Williams contended.

Williams also downplayed the recent body building championships staged Saturday, August 29, at the Peace Memorial Hall in Kingstown, reiterating that it was not a SVGABBFF affair.

“We do not have guys competing with earrings in their ears”, Williams quipped.

She, however, admitted that body building here has been experiencing a long state of dormancy and cited the cost of taking part in the sport as a mitigating factor.

Williams revealed that her Executive will be embarking on hosting some workshops and seminars soon, as well as vigorous fundraising drives.

“ We will be having some fund raising to assist body builders with supplements, as body building is an expensive sport and many of the guys are not working for a lot of money”, Williams said.

She added that her Executive will also not be holding a body building competition for the remaining period of 2009.

Also a qualified body building judge at the CAC level, Williams is inviting persons who want to serve on the Executive to come forward, as elections will be staged early in 2010, either in the month of January or February.