Doldron faces athletics mutiny

TRACK and field in Trinidad and Tobago has been thrown into turmoil with the shock resignation of secretary of the National Amateur Athletics Association (NAAA), Wilton Jackson. And though the announcement yesterday was welcomed by president of the NAAA, Ken Doldron, other executive members of the organisation are upset at the latest development. And moves are afoot to demonstrate their disenchantment by moving a vote of no-confidence in Doldron, a former top Defence Force officer who is serving his first term as president. An executive member of the NAAA, speaking yesterday on condition of anonymity told Newsday that the respeonse of Doldron to the secretary’s resignation was “inappropriate” and had “tarnished the reputation of the long-serving Jackson” who is one of the most experienced athletics administrators in Trinidad and Tobago. Jackson is a former president of the NAAA (1980-1981) and enjoys great respect and admiration for his administrative prowess as chairman and director of the Neal and Massy Games, the Southern Games and the Palo Seco Games among other big meetings staged locally.

He was also honoured by Trinidad and Tobago with a Chaconia Medal last year in the annual Independence Day Awards. The NAAA official charged that Doldron had brought the organisation into disrepute by his comments published in a daily newspaper yesterday and should do the decent thing and resign. In the newspaper report, breaking the news of Jackson’s resignation yesterday, Doldron described the NAAA secretary as “negative” and claimed he suggested to him that he should quit. Doldron meanwhile has used his constitutional authority to call a special executive meeting on Saturday from 2 pm at the NAAA’s office at the Eric Williams Medical Complex at Mount Hope. However there may not be any eager volunteers as the secretary is currently embroiled in a court matter and any replacement will automatically face legal action instituted by former assistant secretary Clyde Forde. The outspoken Forde was one of nine secretaries and assistant secretaries of the NAAA who have chucked their office in the NAAA in a little more than a decade.

Those who have resigned for one reason or the others are (secretaries) Andrew O’Brien, Francis Williams-Smith, Raffique Shah, Jasmine Bain and Jackson; (assistant secretaries) Forde, Errol Bethelmy, Kelvin Martin and Jillian Farrell. Although Jackson is reported to have cited no reason for his sudden departure it is said that he had become disenchanted with the functioning of several top officials of the organisation. Matters, it is understood, came to a head during the pre-Olympic tours organised for local atheletes, especially the men’s relay team to make the qualifying time for the Olympic Games in Athens. An NAAA official who did not want to be named said yesterday that Jackson objected strenuously to the fact that an officer used his personal credit card to purchase airline tickets, valued at more than $40,000, for members of the team to travel overseas and reportedly benefitted from bonus points awarded by national airline BWIA. “Jackson is a principled fellow and doesn’t stand for any questionable dealings. It was too much for him and he had certain heated words with Doldron on the matter and this led to his resignation,” said the NAAA member.

He made it clear that Doldron’s apparent reluctance to bring the errant official to brook for the transaction was the trigger for Jackson’s resignation. The meeting called on Saturday is expected to be very heated as executive members are expected to vent their disgust and uneasiness with the direction the organisation is headed and president Doldron may be faced with a mutinous crew according to insiders. According to the NAAA constitution, the General Council, made up of club representatives, must meet in October to set a date for the Annual General Meeting which must be held in November. However only the secretary can call a General Council meeting and set an agenda for the meeting according to the constitution of the NAAA. But with the court matter hovering over the organisation like a black cloud, the executive members may not relish accepting the secretary’s role that may well land them in court. In that case it is understood Government may be called upon to appoint an interim body to run track and field until an annual general meeting can be constitutionally called and officers elected to run the organisation.