By Rawle Toney

President of the Linden Amateur basketball Associa-tion (LABA) Uburn Smith has decided to stay on in the post.

Uburn Smith

According to reports reaching Stabroek Sport, Smith had contemplated quitting the post because he was not getting enough cooperation.

But after an emergency meeting of the association Friday night this newspaper was told that the president was staying put.

“It was these clubs who put their trust in me to run the association when they felt that the former president was not fit to administrate the sport,” Smith declared.

“It was these same clubs that voted me in unanimously when we had the general elections and for me to walk away from them would be wrong,” he added.

“I honestly understand their frustrations and, as president, it is my duty to meet their needs.

“It’s not that I haven’t been trying, I honestly am, but there’s only so much you can do alone. However we’ve met as an executive and have decided that for the good of the game, we have to work harder.”

In Friday’s issue of this newspaper it was reported that Smith had signalled his intention of resigning from the post because he was not getting enough support from his fellow executives.

The performance of the Smith-led executive has been criticized for failing to stage the final of the Elite Summer Basketball Festival and for not staging   any LABA-sponsored tournament.

At Friday night’s meeting which lasted approximately three and one half hours the President and his executives tried to iron out several issues which they feel were hampering development in the sport.
Smith has guaranteed that the final of the Elite Basketball Festival will now be held on November 1.