GOA elections unlikely before latter part of February

GOA elections unlikely before latter part of February – Yassin

Jan 14, 2023 Sports

– Awaiting audited financial statements

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur News – Kalam Juman-Yassin, the long-serving president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), believes that the highly anticipated Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections are unlikely before the end of February.

Yassin, who will be stepping down after almost three decades at the helm of one of the most important sports institutions in Guyana was at the time speaking to state-owned media, the National Communications Network (NCN).

The Executive Committee of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA)

Yassin explained to NCN that the elections would not be held until the completion and submission of the GOA’s audited financial statements, “We have been waiting on the audited statements, and as a result Elections could not have been held and will not be held until it is received.”

“This is unfortunate, as these statements should’ve been ready a long time ago. But they have not, and there’s nothing more that we can do. “I really would like to have elections as early as possible so that the new executives can determine and implement any new initiatives that they may seem or seek to do,” Yassin said.

Unsure about which period of the current Executive Committee’s tenure will be under review by the auditors, Yassin added, “I would expect that we should have an audited statement up to December 2022, or at least by the end of November 2022 because the executives have been operating from 2016 to now.”

GOA president, Kalam Juman-Yassin

“We have to have the audited statement, and the term ran from 2016 to the last Olympics, and I hope that we can have these documentations so that the GOA can move forward,” the long-serving sports administrator said.

Yassin stressed his support to the incoming president of the GOA, pointing out that “I would wish the new president and executive all the best, and whatever I could do and continue to do, I would so do.”

The 75-year-old was seeking another term at the helm of the GOA despite serving in the capacity since 1996.

The former Chief Magistrate turned Attorney-At-Law had his hopes shattered when the GOA hosted a Special General Meeting regarding ratification of its new constitution.

Apart from the implementation of a maximum of three consecutive four-year terms for the president of the GOA, the association’s new constitution, based on a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has a clause that disallows anyone seeking to serve on the GOA’s Executive Committee from doing so if he/she is older than 70 years.

The GOA’s general council, on June 16, 2022, after much deliberation, voted 29 – 13 to include the 70-year age limit for Executive Committee members.

Yassin currently serves with Charles Corbin, Dr Karen Pilgrim and Godfrey Munroe as his Vice-presidents along with Hector Edwards as Secretary General and Assistant Secretary Deion Nurse.

Garfield Wiltshire is the GOA’s Treasurer, while Tricia Fiedtkou is the Assistant Treasurer.

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Garfield Wiltshire, Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kalam Juman-Yassin, Tricia Fiedtkou

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