By Sam Sooppersaud
The NYCR election process appears to be mired in controversy. Familiar words to fair minded cricket lovers hoping to get a Regional Administration that will honestly and truly work for the improvement of cricket in the region. But evidently, the very people appointed and elected to ensure fair play are themselves characters in the deceitful and self-serving actions of the “Rape of Cricket”.
New York Cricket Region
The PROCESS is moving forward but not without controversy after controversy. Some of these rocket scientists masquerading as league presidents are manufacturing insidious reasons to disqualify legitimate candidates and are intent in “giving” positions to their friends and fellow conspirators and judases.
As was reported before, the original period for the submission of Resume was extended to facilitate the selfish agenda of Election Committee Chairman Paul DaSilva. Then, Elections Secretary Patrick Sutherland decided that he is the Brooklyn League’s representative on the interviewing panels, which should be made up only by the presidents of the seven leagues. John Wilson, the president of the BCL is presently out of the country. Having been allowed to sit on the panel without any questioning by the presidents, Sutherland, smelling the odor of power, now decided that he “would take” the position of Secretary of the NYCR. Needless to say DaSilva and a couple of his robots are ready to “give” Sutherland his “birthright” on a silver platter. Sutherland, by the way, did not submit a Resume for that position. PREPOSTEROUS.
At this time two (2) parts of the four (4) part PROCESS have been completed. Resumes have been sent in and received by the Elections Secretary. Interviews of the legitimate candidates have been completed. On Sunday, May 1, 2011, the final two (2) steps will be completed.
The first course of action would be for the league presidents to vote to elect a Regional Chairman who will hold office for the next three (3) years. This part of the election may be chaired by the present Regional Chairman, Selwyn Caesar or a representative appointed by him. Once his successor is elected, he would have to vacate the chair in favor of the new R.C. The panel of presidents with the R.C. as the Chair would then vote to elect a Youth Coordinator, and a Women’s Cricket Coordinator, and two (2) members-a- large. Only candidates who have declared themselves (sent in their Resume) would -and should- be considered for the various positions for which they have applied. Prior to the election of these four (4) persons the Regional Chairman, sitting in the capacity of the Election Chairman, is required to know who are the legitimate candidates and remind the presidents that they can only cast their vote for one or more of these candidates or for none, if they are not satisfied with any of the candidates.
Once the four (4) Members-at-Large have been elected they will be seated along with the presidents and the Regional Chairman to complete the process of constituting the New York Regional Administration. They will then be charged with appointing a Secretary and a Treasurer for the NYCR. Again, these appointments must be made from among the applicants who have applied for the respective positions in the time period given. It is the duty of the Regional Chairman to ensure that only legitimate applicants are considered for these two (2) positions.
An absent president may vote by proxy. Anyone who claims to “represent” a president at the election will have to be armed with a document signed by that absent president and authorizing the representative to act as such. Electronic communication is acceptable. If that president has given that representative a proxy signifying his choice of candidates, then that representative’s duty must be limited to presenting the proxy. He is not allowed to make his own choice apart from the absent president’s. The secretary of the absent president’s league may authorize such documentation.
May I remind a few of the misguided individuals who feel that they are free to do whatever they want in an election process that the word ELECTION means: the act of voting for a candidate to an office. To be a Candidate one has to declare one’s candidacy, at the same time in accordance with the devised and announced process. (I am sure that you have heard of candidates in past elections who have been declared ineligible because they did not follow the process in declaring their candidacies). So it is with the election process in the NYCR. No one can -or should- be elected if he is not a legitimate candidate.
If there are any doubts or misconceptions with regards to the holding of meetings or the conducting of an election at those meetings, then I advise that all clarifications could be had by consulting the “Roberts Rules Of Order”.
We are at a critical time in the development of our cricket. Offers of help, both financial and technical, have come in from professional cricket organizations around the world. If we are to channel these resources in a beneficial manner then we have to “get our house in order” We have some exciting young talents, if nurtured properly, and who can propel the standard of our cricket upward. Let’s not selfishness and greed for power stifle progress!