Latest update January 19th, 2025 12:01 AM
Horace Burrowes is new GCF President
– Promises to lift the sport to a higher level
By Franklin Wilson
USA based businessman and former national cyclist Horace Burrowes has been
New GCF President Horace Burrowes (seated) is flanked by Secretary Ms. Maria Leung (right) and Treasurer, Ms. Rosanna Sookoo. Standing from right are, Jerome Allicoco (3rd VP), Hassan Mohamed (Race Secretary), Paul Choo-wee-nam (1st VP) and Andrew Arjoon (2nd VP).
elected President of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) following their Annual General Meeting yesterday at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Office, High Street, Georgetown.
Burrowes who has been given the mandate of leading the sport for the next four years narrowly defeated the incumbent Cheryl Thompson by one vote, 6 to 5 as eleven clubs casted one vote each.
Veteran cyclist Paul Choo-wee-nam was elected First VP following a three-way race among himself, Mark Conway who was eliminated after the first round of voting and Malcolm Sonoram by a similar 6-5 margin.
The 6-5 trend continued as Andrew Arjoon was preferred to Okel Arthur for the Second VP post, while Jerome Allicock got the nod from the clubs as Third VP over Malcolm Sonoram Jr.
Honorary Secretary Maria Leung and Honorary Treasurer Rosanna Sookoo were both elected unopposed as did Racing Secretary, Hassan Mohamed MS, the only surviving member from the previous executive.
The AGM had its challenges as no Audited Financial Report was presented, just a normal report which was presented by William Howard the former Treasurer (ag) who called for a total audit of the federations accounts from 2011 citing the lack of accountability by a number of persons, whose names he did not call, for poor stewardship.
Former President Thompson in her report also chided former executive members for their lack of commitment as many meetings did not come off for want of a quorum. There was no smooth sailing in the conduct of the AGM as the previous executive clearly did not prepare the relevant documents to be circulated as per constitution.
But even as that was the case, the eleven clubs present collectively stated that they were there to change the course of the sport for the better. Constitutionally, the AGM was due since March this year.
New President Horace Burrows in his acceptance speech, thanked the clubs for showing confidence in him and promised that there will be many changes for the better in the first year of the new executive.
“One of the things that I am actually looking forward to is working with the clubs. I want to work with every club and not to be biased; I want to make sure that every club does its duty in taking a part of the federation and doing what they are supposed to do.”
He said that every member elected to the executive will serve dutifully to raise the federation to what it is supposed to be.
Burrowes, who said that being resident in the USA would not affect his effectiveness as President since he is home for four to five times yearly spending over one month on each occasion, said that they only planned making themselves available for leadership, just over one week ago.
He expressed gratitude to Hassan Mohamed and Joseph Britton whose service more often than not goes unnoticed for their sterling contributions to the sport over the years. Mohamed’s name is synonymous with the sport in terms of organizing events, and Burrowes stated that that strain on Mohamed will no longer be.
The new president also promised to ensure that the finances of the federation are looked with a view of bringing it in line and up to date.
The first line of business for the new body will be the National Championships which is slated for next weekend.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Burnham must be having a good laugh
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Each week, the more Bharrat Jagdeo speaks, the more the lines between party and government... more
Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal
Sir Ronald Sanders (Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS) By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News–... more
Weekend Cartoon
