Sands elected BAAA president for third time

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A
FTER a year to reflect on the past mistakes, Mike Sands has reassumed the presidency of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations from Curt Hollingsworth.

Sands, ousted from office in a vote of no confidence in the middle of his second term, was elected as president of the BAAA for the third time on Saturday.

And in a resounding return to office for the next three years, Sands had 99 percent of his slate on his Visionary Team voted in with the exception of Rupert Gardiner, who was defeated 26-20 by incumbent Frank 'Pancho' Rahming as technical director.

"I am very pleased with the outcome," said a jubilant Sands as he regained the confidence of he same people who had voted him out in 2008 because of some eight matters, including the lack of collective decision-making of the entire executive team.

In a tremendous show of support, Sands won the post for the top post 28-18 during the elections at the BAAA's annual general at the Ministry of Education.

The conference room was jammed packed with executives, coaches and delegates from the various affiliated Islands, clubs and track teams.

Just prior to the elections, there was some lengthy discussion on whether or not three inactive clubs, which became financial, should have been allowed to vote.

Eventually it was decided that only one would be granted permission and as the voting procedure began, former BAAA's president Dr Bernard Nottage and former Bahamas Olympic Association's secretary general Larry 'Doc' Davis presided.

There was no further interruption as the delegates were eager to cast their votes and in the end, Sands said he was thrilled to have returned to office.

"It went as expected," said Sands, quite relieved that he was back in control. "We went out and did what we had to do. Now we can move on with our manifesto that we presented to the people."

No doubt surprised and shocked at the outcome, Hollowsworth said that he was grateful for the opportunity that he got to serve during the one year that Sands was in exile and if the opportunity presented itself again, he would take a delight in running for office again.

"I am the immediate past president of the association, so I still have an opportunity to serve at that level in the association," Hollowsworth said. "So I will continue to make a contribution whenever I'm called upon."

Sands, however, said that he and his executive team will extend an olive branch to Hollowsworth and the other defeated members of his slate as they try to heal the wombs in moving the association forward.

Once the position of president was filled, it seemed quite evident that the delegates were going to vote for Sands' entire slate of officers.

But there were some surprises and some disappointments in the final outcome of the various positions.

Sherwin Stuart captured the first vice president spot 28-18 over Marshall and Felix Seymour beat out incumbent Anita Doherty 25-21 in an all-Grand Bahamian battle.

Olympian Tim Munnings won 26-20 over former treasurer Rosie Carey 26-20 for the general secretary position; former secretary general Don Turnquest won 25-19 over Collie for assistant.

The new treasurer is Laura Pratt-Charlton, who secured a 27-19 decision over coach Dianne Woodside, while Debbie Smith won 26-20 over Lisa Mortimer for the assistant post.

Journalist Bernard Newbold captured the statistician spot over coach George Cleare and veteran executive Alpheus 'Hawk' Finlayson ousted incumbent Kermit Taylor 27-19 for public relations.

Like the president's position, the spot for technical director was also keenly contested, but in the end, incumbent Frank Rahming retained his position over Rupert Gardiner, the choice for the Visionary Team.

And in the newly formed post of Special Projects, Linda Thompson and Foster Dorsett won with 28 and 24 votes respectively over Dexter Bodie and Doyle Burrows.

The executive team was completed with 12 council members.

They are Doyle Burrows, Tyrone Burrows, Carrie Young, Grand Bahamian businessman Basil Neymour, May Miller, Julie Wilson, Patrick Adderley, Livingstone Bostwick, Roosevelt Thompson, Stephanie Rahming and Dr. Cypriann Strachan.

Published On:Sunday, November 22, 2009