Robertson S. Henry. Sports and Cultural Contributor
In St Vincent and the Grenadines news, on Sunday morning August 4 2013, during a sports call-in programme hosted by Hitz F.M., a female caller to the programme, gave reasons for the hesitation, and sometimes refusal by the private sector to sponsor sporting events.
The caller lamented the failure by national sporting organizations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to account for monies given in sponsorship grants.
The caller complained of the many promises by these sporting organizations to submit financial reports, but these reports never materialized.
According to the caller, another reason is the lack of team spirit amongst persons once they are elected unto the executive bodies; they begin to fight amongst themselves.
The lack of team spirit amongst administrators in managing events is hurting the development of sports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
An investigation into the administration of sporting organizations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, supports the caller’s allegations.
The financial management of one national organization may very well result in either one or more of its affiliates taking the matter before the courts, or demanding that its parent body step in and investigate.
It was revealed that the auditors are unable to complete the auditing of at least three years of the organisation’s finances due to the absence of supporting documentation for cheques written.
Additionally, the auditors are unable to compile a report on an account open by the president and treasurer of that organization without the collective approval of the executive.
To make matters worse, withdrawals are being made from that account, without such being approved through the established protocols.
One sponsor pointed out that this organization will encounter difficulties because not too long ago, monies from the sale of drinks at an event disappeared, but no investigation was ever conducted.
To add salt to the wound, the person who was in charge of the disappeared cash at that event is still involved in the affairs of an affiliate of that organization!
No one except the president and to an extent the treasurer knows the financial status of the organisation, despite it being the recipient of thousands of dollars from its parent body.
Then there is the case of equipment being received by another sporting organization. For months, the supplier of the equipment kept calling and requesting payment and to speak to the president of the organization.
The president instructed his secretary to inform the supplier that he was out either in meetings, or unavailable. Months later, an investigation revealed that the president had cashed the cheque to pay the supplier, and kept the monies.
This same president when he was voted out of office took with him property belonging to the organization. Was the secretary in cahoots with the former president may never be known, for she refused to write him, requesting that the organisation’s property be returned despite numerous instructions to do so.
When the former president was voted out, there were boasts of the organization being below EC,000.00 in debt. However, an investigation revealed that the actual debt of the sporting association was over EC0,000.00!
The investigation also revealed that the former president wrote, signed and cashed over twenty cheques to himself; some of these cheques signed by the former public relations officer when that person was not an authorized signatory to the association’s account.
Executive members of that same sporting organization are now questioning certain decisions reached which would have improved the organisation’s standing with the private sector.
Instead, another institution is benefitting from such, leaving this national sporting association to scratch around for monies to finance its programmes, and pay off its debts.
Robertson S Henry (right) receiving the IOC award from Richard Peterkin – president of Saint Lucia National Olympic Committee in 2005
Then there is yet another national sporting organization, which receives monies to fund its programmes, but for years have not held a general meeting.
No one save the president can safely say what the financial position of the association is. Teams and individuals are sent on regional and international assignments, programmes are funded, but there has not been any accounting of the fiancés of this national sporting organization.
Speaking to one government official familiar with the situation in all of the three examples listed, he pointed out that one of the reasons for the continued failure by affiliates to take decisive action “is the politicizing of all issues in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
According to him, the authorities are reluctant to step in because such action would be seen as a political witch-hunt, so fingers are kept crossed that the parent bodies of these national sporting associations will undertake some form of investigation.
Another individual admitted that the situation is becoming untenable, and the government must tread very carefully, as to how it addresses the situation. ‘If government intervenes it may be seen as high-handedness, for no affiliate is yet to submit credible proof of financial wrong doing.”
This official said that while certain pieces of credible information have been sent to them, it is by individuals, and “no individual is an affiliate. We want more than one affiliate to submit credible evidence of financial mismanagement so we can then seek guidance from the relevant authorities on the matter.”
The Sunday August 4, 2013 sports call-in programme on Hitz F.M., dealt with the issue of sport contributing to at least 4-percent of the Jamaican GDP. According to a report published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica, sports constitute a precious resource with significant earning potential, which needs to be developed by the state.
The sports sector in Jamaica is therefore being organized to become a commercial activity not only directly linked to tourism, but to create a product that yields significant revenue possibilities.
To this end, several solutions are being proposed, these include professionalizing sports associations, and linking industry to sports to create a Jamaica brand.
The panelists on that programme dealt with the question: “Given the sporting talent that abounds within St. Vincent and the Grenadines, what role sports can play in our development drawing from the Jamaica experience?”
The panel, which was chaired by Mr. Curtis King, comprised of Ms. Deloris Duncan – president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association, Mr. Justin Douglas – radio sports commentator and reporter, Mr. Michael Ollivierre – track and field coach and former OECS Sports Director, and Robertson S. Henry – sports journalist who was awarded in 2005 by the International Olympic Committee for his contribution to sports journalism. (RSH)
