Armymen in neck-and-neck battle

THE UPCOMING elections in the National Amateur Athletics Association (NAAA) seems set to rival Tuesday’s neck-and-neck battle for the United States presidency won by the Republican incumbent George W Bush over Senator John Kerry of the Democratic Party. On Saturday November 20, club representatives, life members and delegates totalling more than 85 will cast their secret vote for the person to head the organisation for the next three years. The incumbent is Sergeant Major Ken Doldron who has been under fire recently from some quarters for his leadership style which has been described as “autocratic.” He is likely to be opposed by another Armyman, retired Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Carl Alfonso who has accepted an invitation by several clubs to bid for the top post.

And already intense lobbying and closed door meeting have been taking place with the rival groups marshalling their support in anticipation of the annual general meeting which will be held in the Audio Visual Room of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 1 pm. One such meeting is carded for today when a special executive meeting of the NAAA called by Doldron will be convened in the organisation’s office at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mount Hope. One of the top items on the agenda is expected to be the Carifta Games which was offered to Trini-dad and Tobago after Grenada declined following the devastation of that  island by Hurricane Ivan several months ago. It is understood that after having declared this country’s acceptance to host the annual junior track and field fiesta in Tobago, Doldron will now seek the approval of the executive who in turn will need to get the concurrance of the General Council for the event to be staged next Easter weekend.

Yesterday, interim secretary of the NAAA Allan Baboolal admitted that Doldron is yet to get the executive’s approval for staging the Carifta Games following the decision of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) athletics authorities to give Trinidad and Tobago the option of playing host. “We could not have done it before because we did not have the letter from the NACAC but the issue was discussed by the executive when it was agreed that we should provide free airfare, accomodation and waive the levy for the Grenada contingent to take part,” Baboolal said. He said the president had further discussions with the primary sponsors of the Carifta — RBTT, Guardian Holding Limited and the National Gas Company — when it was put forward that Tobago should be considered as the venue for the three-day competition. “So to say there was no discussion by the executive of the Carifta Games is wrong,” Baboolal  maintained.

And he came out firmly on the side of Doldron who he suggested is the best man to head the organisation ahead of the challenger Brigadier Alfonso, a former president of the Schools Basketball Association and the National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago. Among the qualities Baboolal said would endear Doldron to the club representatives are that Doldron is efficient; he is happily retired; always available; attends all meetings of the NAAA and is not involved in any improprieties. “I am not sure that the challenger is suitably qualified to hold the position or will have the time to devote to the running of the organisation seeing he is gainfully employed elsewhere,” said Baboolal.

He said he is confident that the incumbent slate of officers will be re-elected to serve the organisation for the next term of office and to reject them would be a retrograde step. A major boost for Doldron’s slate, Babool said, will be the inclusion of Hasely Crawford, Trinidad and Tobago’s first and only Olympic gold medallist (100 metres, Montreal 1976) who is expected to stand for election as a trustee. Baboolal said he expects representatives of the 40 registered clubs, life members and delegates to attend the Annual General Meeting which is shaping up to be one of the most keenly contested in recent memory. “In the end the clubs will have the final say and we hope they make a decision that is in the best interest of the organisation and sport,” he said.