Doldron blasted for ‘accepting’ CARIFTA Games on his own

KEN DOLDRON, President of the National Amateur Athletics Association (NAAA) is again the target of criticism. This time he is being blasted for making an announcement that Trinidad and Tobago has  accepted the offer to stage next year’s CARIFTA Junior Track and Field Championships. The premier regional competition for budding athletics stars was up for grabs after the original designated hosts of the Games, Grenada pulled out because of the substantial damage done to the island by Hurricane Ivan. At a recent meeting of the NACAC, the North America, Central America and Caribbean track and field organisation that oversee the Games, it was decided to ask Trinidad and Tobago to stage the championships which usually attracts close to 600 athletes and officials from throughout the Caribbean. But Doldron’s  announcement of this country’s acceptance has stirred the ire of several athletics officials who claim that he is acting unilaterally and does not have the backing of the organisation’s “government” which is the General Council and the NAAA executive.

Ashwyn Creed, who represents Rebirth Track and Field Club said that while he is not against the hosting of the CARIFTA in Trinidad and Tobago, the correct procedure was not followed by Doldron, a former sargeant-major in the Defence Force. “We made clear at a recent General Council meeting that the decision to host the Games must be approved by the executive with the concurrance of the General Council to be official. To my mind this has not happened,” said an angry Creed. He said by making a public pronouncement Doldron has rejected the wishes of the General Council and pre-empted any decision likely to be taken by Government whose involvement is crucial to the staging of the athletics fiesta. “The NAAA have not had any written approval as yet from Government concerning their support for the 2005 CARIFTA Games. What will happen if for some reason the Government  cannot lend support? This will lead to embarrassment,” said Creed.

The Deputy Permanent  Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government also raised concerns about the financial statement from the 2002 Games which were staged at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. He said the General Council members are still waiting on that report to determine whether the Games made a profit or a loss since it was the first time that the event was outsourced to a private promotions outfit. “The Government and the sponsors are also eagerly awaiting this report because they would wish to see how their money was spent,” said Creed. The CARIFTA Games last year earned the long-term support of Guardian Holdings Limited, RBTT and the National Gas Company ensuring a sound financial backing. Creed said that Doldron’s “premature announcement” also precluded problems faced with the likely Games venue at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago.

“There are no facilities for the field events at the stadium and much work is needed to get it up to standard. We have not received any commitment from Government or the Tobago House of Assembly to have this done,” said Creed. However it was announced on Monday that NGC have promised the THA more than $300,000 to uplift the stadium for the field events to meet international standards. Creed still holds his substantive postion as Chief Executive Officer of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation and was Technical Director of the 2002 CARIFTA Games in Trinidad and Tobago. He said that his comments are not designed to retard the process of staging the CARIFTA in Trinidad and Tobago but are in pursuance of accountability and due process which he said are blatantly absent in the issue at hand.