The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After a few resignations to switch spots, the Bahamas Volleyball Federation avoided a “vote of no confidence” in their president to reshape the executive board in office last year.

The BVF held an extraordinary meeting facilitated by Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, the executive vice president of the Federation International Volleyball (FIVA) and Mushtaque Mohammed, president of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA), which presides over 14 countries in the Caribbean. 

Sunday’s meeting, which was held in the conference room at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, was convened because five members of the executive board had lost the confidence in president Crystal Forbes.

An ultimatum from the members - first vice president Lloyd Davis, second vice president Don Cornish, third vice president Helena Cooper and assistant secretary Sydline Justilien, was that a vote would be taken and if carried, Forbes would be removed from office and the members moved up in position. 

If it wasn’t passed, the members opposing her would all resign.

During the meeting, which was presided over by Mohammed, Forbes resigned her position and the new slate of officers was formed to run the affairs for the rest of the four-term in office.

Kurkwood Greene, who was elected as the secretary general, was voted in as the new president, Lloyd Davis remained as first vice president and Forbes was elected back to serve this time as the second vice president.

Cornish, a former president of the BVF, had resigned his position as second president and will fill the post as treasurer, taking over from Keith Dean, who died during a recent BVF Zoom meeting to resolve the issue. Kirkwood Farquharson, president of the New Providence Volleyball Officials Association, is the new general secretary.

The other officers who resumed their positions are Justilien as assistant secretary and Christine Cunningham as the assistant treasurer.

Greene, who also serves as the treasurer for CAZOVA, thanked Forbes for recognising the “position” that the federation was in and in return, accepting the position as the second vice president of the BVF.

“I just feel like whatever is best for volleyball in the country, I will support it,” Forbes said. “Volleyball needs to grow and whatever it takes for it to grow, I will support it. I’m still on the board so I still get to serve.”

In accepting his new role, Greene said it was unfortunate what transpired over the past few weeks with the BVF executives and he thanked both Marte Hoffiz and Mohammed for facilitating the meeting.

“One of the things I realised is that the stakeholders have expressed their dissatisfaction with the federation,” he said. 

“So this administration sought to bring structure and accountability, not only among its membership, but with the federation officers.

“At this stage, it is very important for the Bahamas Volleyball Federation to regain a respectful and professional relationship with