Today’s Annual General Meeting of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) has been postponed.
According to a release from Public Relations Officer of the GCA Colin Alfred, the association was forced to postpone the meeting as there was a breach of the GCA’s constitution with respect to the time the AGM was advertised.
“This postponement was due to a letter being received from a member club indicating a breach of the constitution with regards to the time that the notice for the AGM and elections was advertised in a daily newspaper,” the release yesterday stated.
The re-scheduled AGM and election of office bearers for the new term will be held on February 28 at the GNIC pavilion on Woolford Avenue from 6pm, the release added.
According to the release, the executive of the GCA was advised by its attorney that a new date would have to be set for the re-scheduled AGM and elections.
The GCA, in the release also informed that it was only able to acquire a copy of the GCA’s Constitution on December 29 last year “after trying for almost 11 months to acquire a copy.”
The GCA claimed that the previous secretary of the GCA never released the “Secretariat File” to the incumbent adding that the executive of the GCA had been working for the past year based on the experience and memory of past members.
Meanwhile, some member clubs of the GCA expressed their “shock and disbelief” at the postponement.
According to a release from the member clubs, it said the AGM was incorrectly advertised in terms of the notice period but argued that the GCA should have proceeded with the AGM using Clause 5.2.
Clause 5.2 of the constitution states: “The Executive Committee shall, subject to the over-riding authority of the AGM interpret the meaning of the Constitution of the association and in respect of any matter for which the constitution makes no provision, shall make and apply such rules as it considers appropriate and necessary.”
The member clubs also argued that in 2008, 2009 and 2010 elections were held in January and although the 2007 executives took office in May of that same year, the AGM and subsequent elections were held in January 2008, less than eight months after taking office.
The member clubs of the GCA said they are calling upon the executives of the association to honour the constitutional requirements and have the AGM held as advertised by the said executive.
“We are not unmindful of the controversy and negative publicity surrounding our parent board and it is incumbent that that we do nothing to create even more uncertainty and add to what is already a sorry picture.
“To postpone these elections will be a sign of a creeping dictatorship at work, a sign that the member clubs of the Georgetown Cricket Association should not tolerate. Please therefore Mr. Roger Harper please do the decent thing and have the elections as scheduled,” the release ended.
