Dear Editor,
I unfortunately have to write with respect to the letter written by Mr Rawle Welch in the Kaieteur News of September 14. He alleged that “the operations of the GOA have been shrouded in secrecy with the staging of elections and its process and eventual outcome very often being disseminated to the media sometime after being held so there is little or no chance of scrutinizing the elections.”
These allegations are baseless and unfounded and he is again making sweeping assertions without referring to any source. There has never been any complaint by any Association or individual that any of our elections were unfair or that no notice or short notice was given announcing the elections. I challenge Mr Welch to prove otherwise.
The GOA operations and programmes have always been open and the press has never been barred from attending any elections or council meeting. We have had countless press briefings over the years and for the past four years I cannot recall Mr Welch attending. If he had he would have known better.
The GOA has an executive of seven persons and they are all experienced and knowledgeable sports persons. The executive meets at least once every month and sometimes twice. There is the monthly council meeting where every Association has the right to attend and participate. The decisions or plans of the executive are announced at the council meeting and every member present can participate and express their views freely and frankly. The decision of the executive is either approved or rejected.
I do not recall on any occasion over the years any member complaining of being stifled or disagreeing with the decision of the executive. Any major decision is approved by the council before being implemented. Mr Welch must give an example or examples to back up his assertions. The GOA has a constitution which has not been breached and I challenge anyone to prove otherwise.
Mr Welch in his letter scoffed at the assertion of T Pemberton that he did not know me or that we had never met. I wish to state that I do not know T Pemberton and to the best of my knowledge we have never met. Mr Welch went on to give the names of four competent persons whom he felt could lead the GOA. He was particular to say that he did not discuss this point with any of the four persons. I have been reliably informed that Mr Welch is very much inaccurate in this assertion and that on the contrary he is the de facto campaign manager of one of the four and his role is to test the waters.
Yours faithfully,
K A Juman-Yassin
Guyana Olympic
Association
