Dear Editor,
With poor officiating at basketball games plaguing Guyana in recent years, and the lack of discipline among players we would have hoped that by now there would be movement to form a Basketball Officiating Council. With three International Basketball Federation (FIBA) certified referees and many potential referees in the pipelines, it is time for action.
When Sherwin Henry became certified in 2007, both the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) and Mr Henry were addressed to start an officials council to govern all officials, as they would be accountable for the discharge of the responsibilities bestowed upon them.
To date nothing has been done, and Sherwin Henry is yet to conduct a clinic nationally or even in his hometown, Linden.
Just like the sub-association the officials council would have to be self sustaining and governed by its own constitution. This would prevent the federation or the sub-associations from delegating their roles and responsibilities.
In June 2009 when the Haynes Foundation (HF) advocated that the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC), FIBA and GABF should produce more FIBA certified referees, both Aubrey Younge and Lugard Mohan stepped up to the challenge and were accredited as Guyana’s latest additions to the FIBA referee pool.
I am privy to the information from first-hand sources that the HF has since worked with FIBA to develop a comprehensive constitution and by-laws (8 page document) which will govern the officials council and which will adhere to FIBA rules and regulations. This constitution was well written and was modelled after the FIBA National Officials Manual produced by FIBA in collaboration with various basketball experts from around the world. It is a complete and comprehensive collection of information to assist each national officiating council in its everyday operations for the future of basketball in each country.
Inside sources confirmed that this document was presented to Mr Mohan and Mr Younge by the HF while they were visiting Colorado, US to attend the FIBA Referee Clinic. A copy was also sent via email to GABF Acting President David Patterson, Georgetown and Linden heads Abdullah Hamid and Trevor Rose and other basketball administrators.
As of last Sunday September 20, 2009 there was still a negative push-back from the Linden officials stating that the FIBA approved constitution was too rigid and Guyana could not survive under such rigid codes.
While visiting the SC Lady All-Stars clinic led by Coach Davis in Linden, I couldn’t help but overhear a group of ‘basketball persons of interest’ discussing that this FIBA modelled constitution would not fly in Linden; these rules were too stiff; and fat people and old people would not have a chance to referee since they could not pass the physical test.
Are we going backwards with this game or am I just immune from settling for the mediocre?
Yours faithfully,
Winston Johnson
