Dear Editor,
I was invited to the Annual General Meeting of the Albion Cricket Club on Saturday July 2, 2022 at 3.00pm, at the Albion Sports Complex main hall. I duly attended and what I witnessed can only be described as a farce and a mockery of what good governance should be in the running of a cricket club.
To begin with, the AGM started with 17 persons present out of a membership of 120 persons. Besides the Community Development Officer, who was there to do the duties of Returning Officer for the elections that was to follow the main agenda, the other 16 persons present were – 5 executives and 11 cricketers who are mainly from the Under13, Under15 and Under17 teams. No Financial Report was given to members at the start of the AGM so that they can be in a position to ask questions or clarifications. The Financial Statement was read from a laptop computer by the President, because the Treasurer was absent. Also, no copies of the President and Secretary’s Reports were given to members, as has been the norm in past AGM.
As can be expected, there was hardly any participation or discussion by
members during the presentation of these three reports. Now to the elections. From the start, it was clear that a few executives decided before the AGM who will fill which position and so from the time nominations were opened, the Secretary and a committee member were doing all the nominations and seconding. As can be expected, there was no election for any of the positions. Vemen Walter retained his position as President, although he is now the GuySuCo Human Resources Director and lives in the GuySuCo Compound at Ogle. Harripersaud is the Vice President, although he is a Production Manager of Blairmont Estate and lives in the estate compound. Prem Kanhai is the Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer and lives at Port Mourant. I am sure he could have taken his talents to the Port Mourant Cricket Club, which is in dire need of good cricket administrators, but then again he is a good friend of the Secretary. At least, the Secretary, Outar and Treasurer, Orvin Mangru, are living at Albion. And finally, one of the committee member is the Personnel Manager of Albion Estate who recently came to the estate from GuySuCo Head Office and guess what? He was not even present at the AGM.
Editor, as I mentioned at the start of this missive, the whole exercise was a farce and an insult to the cricket loving people of Albion who are proud owners of the Albion Cricket Club and are shocked, angry and disappointed at what is happening at the club and are calling on the relevant authorities to do something. There are many people living in Albion who are willing to be a part of the Albion Cricket Club and help contribute to the development and growth of the club. Someone please reach out to them.
Sincerely,
Imtiaz Baccus
