Dear Editor,
I am writing to provide clarification on the recent article published regarding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Archery Guyana Inc., as some crucial details were misrepresented or omitted.
Firstly, it was erroneously stated that “the Annual General Meeting of Archery Guyana Inc. was successfully held at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street on Friday last with Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon returning as president”. However, there was no election held for the position of President at this AGM. She has been President of Archery Guyana since February, 2023 and will be there until their AGM in 2027.
Secondly, I would like to highlight discrepancies regarding the election process for other key positions. While it was mentioned that Nicholas Hing continues as Secretary-General and Robert Singh as Treasurer, it is important to note that these positions were not subjected to elections at the AGM, despite migration of Mr. Nicholas Hing from Guyana during last year.
Furthermore, regarding the nomination process, yours truly, Anand Mangra and Narda Mohamed, were initially nominated for positions but were subsequently disqualified due to the lack of payment of fees by one of Archery Guyana’s members who nominated us. This disqualification did not give us an opportunity to be voted for. Hence, the inclusion of Narda Mohamed’s name as part of the list of less favoured by the electorate is incorrect and misrepresented.
Some members were also unaware of the availability of proxy voting, which appeared to have been selectively extended to individual members, denying some the opportunity to authorize others to vote on their behalf. This lack of transparency raises concerns about the fairness and inclusivity of the electoral process. Additionally, the pressure for some to pay fees and allowing others to function without paying fees underscores the discrepancies and apparent double standards within the Federation; as it should have been compulsory for all members to pay their fees before the deadline of February 1st annually.
Referring to the statement “While we have made strides towards gender parity, there is still work to be done. I encourage more women to step up and lead. Their involvement is crucial to the diverse and dynamic future of Archery Guyana.” as quoted in the Guyana Chronicle News, I call upon Archery Guyana to give more opportunities and create more avenues to include women to fulfill their mandate. As an advocate for transparency and fairness, I would not support misrepresentation nor stand for lack of democratic principles and equitable participation for all members.
Sincerely,
Anand Mangra
