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Smith cannot complain about lack of support
– when support has him in power
By Edison Jefford
The issues that currently ensnare Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) President, Uborn Smith has nothing to do with the absence of support from Linden clubs but rather the meaningful presence of the association’s top official.
Uborn Smith
It was recently reported in another section of the print media that Smith had threatened to step down from the presidency, citing the lack of support from clubs. But careful analysis of Smith’s tenure at the helm will not buttress that claim.
Withstanding his most recent decision to retain his position, Smith came to power last year when his club, Wismar Pistons had expressed ‘no confidence’ in the Colin Aaron–led administration over accusations of financial irregularities.
Aaron gracefully walked away from the post, paving the way for the leader of the apparent coup, Smith, who had, by the time, gotten backing from most Linden clubs except Aaron’s Kashif and Shanghai Kings–a major mover in the Mining Town.
But even without the full support of Kings, a declaration that “basketball must be the winner” seemed to convince the town’s leading team to work with the Smith administration. Kings’ Abdullah Hamid was appointed to the new Executive.
Basketball in Linden looked on course for a new beginning with all the issues coming out of that political squabble temporarily buried. However, the undertakers later unearthed from the shallow grave Smith’s extreme inactivity as another issue.
Linden’s serious approach to sports should be generally acknowledged to reinforce the point that no lukewarm leader will be accepted.
Smith’s claim of lack of support from clubs was not only deceptive but far from the defining truth.
If Linden clubs did not approve of Smith, he would have never gotten the presidency because of the town’s patriotism and sincerity with regard to sport. Smith betrayed his support base with his recent confabulation for two primary reasons.
The notoriety of Smith’s absence from the sport in Linden is the first of the two reasons; this, the undertakers believed, was sufficient ground to issue a ‘no–confidence’ motion, which was voted in favour of Smith about six weeks ago.
Even in the face of turmoil and complaints from clubs that Smith was not as present and active as he needed to be, the LABA’s top official was still retained. How could he then claim that he is not getting support from clubs in Linden?
He could do so because he must find an excuse for his noticeable absence from 99 percent of the tournaments held in Linden and an inherent inability to meaningfully engage and inspire all the clubs under the LABA jurisdiction.
With regards to absence, Smith can be compared to President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation, Godwin Mc Pherson. The two have one thing in common: they are shadows in a sport that demands physical presence and personification.
A Courts Pacesetters basketball player, Kevin Worrel, recently died during a competition on the Burnham Basketball Court in Georgetown. Yet McPherson, who resides in the City, did not see it fit to attend the nightly vigils or more importantly, the funeral.
We are talking here about a President who nationally presides over the sport. It is the same with Smith. The two leaders’ basketball presence is merely restricted to Executive meetings knowing that the sport is not played in the board room.
The second major reason for Smith’s blaming of Linden clubs for his incompetence is the fact that secondary officials outweigh him at the top.
LABA Secretary, Joe Chapman and Organising Secretary, Hamid carries more weight than Smith.
Chapman and Hamid are actively visible at almost anything related to basketball in Linden and on most occasions, it is in their private and personal capacities. Smith probably feels threatened because of his reduction to officialdom alone.
Investigations would reveal that not a single Linden club has seriously asked for Smith to step down as President. His assertion that he is not getting support may have stemmed from his psychological dispositions in relation to the reasons given here.
Being present is not micromanagement but a way of demonstrating solidarity in a discipline that demands it. Being present could also mean acting through competent individuals but no input of presence at all is serious cause for concern.
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