AAG accusing Hutson of deliberately stymieing investigation

Jul 17, 2023 Sports

By Rawle Toney

Flashback! Noelex Holder, Akeem Stewart, Jeremy Boscombe and Emanuel Archibald after finishing third at the South American Championship. Guyana will not be present at the event this year in Brazil.

Kaieteur Sports – The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) is accusing their suspended president, Aubrey Hutson, of deliberately attempting to stymie the advancement of Track and Field in Guyana.

Responding to a series of questions asked by Kaieteur News, the AAG was blunt in their response, pointing to the slothfulness of Hutson’s cooperation with the handing over an investigation of the Association under his tenure.

Suspended-president of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson.

In April, the AAG’s Executive Council unanimously voted to suspend Hutson as President for three months, pending an independent investigation.

The AAG stated that depending on the investigation’s findings, a special Annual General Meeting would be convened to elect a new President.

Hutson’s suspension followed a series of embarrassing incidents, primarily involving the Guyana team at the 50th edition of the prestigious CARIFTA Games in Nassau, Bahamas.

Since then, the AAG has engaged a Chartered Accountant firm to conduct a Forensic Audit of its Finances.

However, the AAG informed Kaieteur News that the Audit has stalled due to Hutson’s alleged refusal to hand over all Financial Records.

The transfer of documents was initially scheduled to be completed by July 8, 2023.

The AAG emphasised that a Board of Inquiry was established to investigate the mismanagement of the Association from 2013 to 2023.

The AAG also noted that Hutson had refused to surrender the chequebooks, claiming that the 2nd Vice President had signed off on all blank cheques, although it is known that Hutson and Paul Arthur were the primary signatories to the account.

Despite the absence of chequebooks and Financial Records, the Executive Council of the AAG continued to strive towards ensuring that all planned calendar meets and championships were conducted on schedule.

Stakeholders came forward and made significant pledges which alleviated the impact of the financial constraints thus far.

The AAG expressed confidence that once the Board of Inquiry and the Audit are concluded, the Association would have a clear understanding of its financial position and the path forward.

Meanwhile, due to the lack of finances, Guyana will not participate in this year’s South American Championship in São Paulo, Brazil.

In the previous championship in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Guyana won five medals, including a silver in the men’s 100m (Emanuel Archibald), bronze in the women’s 100m (Jasmine Abrams), bronze in the women’s 800m (Andrea Foster), bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles (Jenea McCammon), and bronze in the men’s 4x100m relay.

The AAG explained that without knowledge of the financial status and with the exhaustion of funds collected as donations from stakeholders, they were unable to support Guyana’s participation in the South American Championship.

The AAG’s technical committee proposed August 11-13 as the dates for the National Senior Track and Field Championship, but this is contingent on the completion of the surface relaying at the National Track and Field Centre.

Alternatively, the AAG stated that the National Stadium at Providence would be used.

The AAG’s Executive Council is resolute in its commitment to ensuring that the sport of Track and Field in Guyana progresses despite the challenges.

Despite the difficulties, the AAG stated that they continue to hold their monthly meetings as required by their statutes.

They highlighted their athletes’ participation in the U20 championships in Bogota, Colombia, the CAC games in El Salvador, and the Caricom 10k Road Race.

The AAG also mentioned that communication has significantly improved, with coaches and stakeholders being better informed about events, training seminars, and other relevant information.

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Akeem Stewart, Flashback! Noelex Holder, he Athletics Association of Guyana, Jeremy Boscombe and Emanuel Archibald after finishing third at the South American Championship. Guyana will not be present at the event this year in Brazil.

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