GABF elections a move in the right direction

Feb 14, 2010 Sports

Dear Editor,
Today’s Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation AGM and elections is indeed a move in the right direction for the sport in Guyana.
My best wishes to the candidates as they truly must be visionaries to pull Guyana Basketball from the state that it is presently in.
That said, I must point out that the sudden emergence of David Patterson is strange to say the least. I must confess that I do not know Patterson personally and this letter is not to cast aspersions on his character and fitness to lead the G.A.B.F.
He may indeed be the most suitable leader at this time although I would prefer someone like Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan or Lugard Mohan, local basketball stalwarts of whom there can be no doubt of their love and commitment to the sport.
But having been involved in almost every level of basketball in Guyana (from club leadership to former secretary of the Georgetown sub-association, to reporter) I am surprised that Patterson, who was virtually invisible during the years of the late Colonel McPherson, is now front and centre as having the best interests of the sport at heart. As a vice-president, Patterson had to have been aware of the non-holding of elections year after year by the G.A.B.F, the friction between the G.A.B.F and the National Sports Commission of accountability etc, but yet was conspicuously absent when these issues were raised by the basketball fraternity and the media.
I have no recall of Patterson being involved as a player or club executive prior to being vice-president of the Federation.
It would have been extremely helpful to local basketball supporters and fans in the lead up to the elections, to learn from whence Patterson came with a view to lending him support.
I have read that current G.A.B.A President Trevor Rose has asked for Patterson’s vision for Guyana Basketball to be outlined to the GABA but to date this has not been done. I commend Rose for not automatically supporting Patterson and maybe even putting forward a rival slate as without a stated vision and plan of action, no support should be given to anyone.
It also should not escape anyone’s notice that L.A.B.A President Abdulla ‘Zico’ Hamid has thrown his weight behind Patterson given that the two recently traveled to the Caribbean Federation’s meeting. Whether Rose was invited or not to accompany these two to that meeting was never stated in the media but it certainly appears convenient that Hamid gave his association’s support to Patterson following the trip.
Despite this, whomever wins the Presidency has their work cut out for them and under the watchful eye of the Edison Jefford’s and Rawle Toney’s, sports reporters who deserve a huge part of the credit for today’s elections, hopefully can begin to lift Guyana Basketball to its rightful place in the region.
Duane Fowler

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