The Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) still doesn’t have a new president.
Yesterday, the virtual Annual General Meeting of the TTSL ended abruptly, just before the final item — the election of officers.
Calls to interim president Jameson Rigues’ cell phone went unanswered yesterday. But subsequently a release was sent on a Super League letterhead which stated: “Mr Jameson Rigues, TTSL Interim President confirms he had to close the TTSL AGM 2020 due to deliberate disruptive actions of certain elements to usurp the proper conduct of the meeting.”
The release made the claim that, “despite his exercising an abundance of patience he had no choice but to call the meeting convened at 11.30 a.m. to a close at 1.42 p.m.”
Rigues was also quoted as saying: “I have requested a report of the AGM based on the recording of the virtual meeting and despite the disruptive actions today, I wish to confirm my intention to have the proper conduct of the business of the Trinidad and Tobago Super League to ensure the rights of the entire membership are respected and guaranteed in keeping with the TTSL Constitution and Bye Laws, all within the TTFA family.”
The election of a new president to replace Keith Look Loy had been in dispute before yesterday, with Rigues claiming that the League’s constitution did not provide for the election of president to be done virtually.
Yesterday, Rigues chaired the AGM but ended the Zoom meeting during discussion of the financial statement.
Rigues was expected to be challenged for the post of president by former national “Strike Squad” captain Clayton Morris, representing the University of Trinidad and Tobago. However, on Saturday, Rigues sent a letter to the TTSL membership in which he referred to the Super League’s Constitution and Articles 26.1 and 30.1 that also speak to the election of president being conducted by secret ballot.
Rigues also informed the TTSL membership that he had written to the normalisation committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, “to enquire whether an “Election for President” was considered acceptable to the TTFA and by extension FIFA.”
He added: “The TTFA’s letter of response dated November 25, 2020, from the normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad, with respect to “Hosting of Elections Virtually” has stated: “the TTFA strongly recommends that the Election of Member Associations not be conducted via virtual (online) platforms to protect the integrity of the electoral process and system. The hosting of elections requires an increased level of sensitivity as mandated by the secret ballot model which may not be readily available or completely infallible via online platforms.
“In this regard and in conformity with the strong recommendations of the TTFA, as interim president of the TTSL, I wish to confirm the TTSL AGM shall proceed as planned on Sunday 29th November 2020, however the Agenda items will be entertained except for Election of President which shall be held post Covid-19 restrictions and in keeping with the TTSL Constitution, Bye Laws and the TTFA statement of recognition of condition for elections.”
Reacting to yesterday’s events, Morris said: “As a person who plays sports, you prepare for a game and when the game doesn’t come off, you refocus and get ready for the next game. I will refocus for whenever that time comes.”
