Kevin Wood is defending his position. The new Barbados Badminton Association (BBA) president said his elevation to the acting role is legitimate after showing that the body’s constitution allows for any member of the executive to fill a “casual vacancy”.
Wood, who previously served as the public relations officer, made the claim in light of Paul Sealy’s shocking resignation from the top post earlier this month due to personal reasons.
According to article 5.6.12 of the constitution, “casual vacancies arising in the membership of the executive shall be filled by the executive”.
“In the case like that it is a casual vacancy, meaning that somebody moved internally, so we can have a vote to bring in someone or send up someone up from the executive and that is the scenario for this particular situation,” explained Wood.
“If it was a case where we couldn’t come to a decision on who should fill the vacancy then we would have to call an extra-ordinary general meeting to have the general body vote via elections.”
Wood’s comments come just days after the general body was informed of the abrupt end to Sealy’s presidency just one year into his two-year term.
In an email sent out to the sport’s membership, the BBA revealed Sealy stepped down for personal reasons and that the executive committee met to approval Wood as the new acting president.
The council also disclosed that Michael Forde replaced Sandra Smith as the BBA’s treasurer in the same correspondence after the latter resigned from the post for apparent work-related reasons.
Yet the news didn’t come as a surprise to some, as an inside source said certain members were told of Sealy and Smith’s resignations after neither executive officer was present for an extra-ordinary general meeting earlier this month.
But vice president Elius Fanus reportedly served as the acting president for that meeting before Wood was eventually elevated from public relations officer to fill the void.
However, the source said the sport’s membership is still questioning Sealy’s seemingly sudden departure considering the president never openly addressed his resignation.
“As far as his letter to the executive stated his reasons were personal and it was known his mum was quite ill for an extended period of time, so we’re all wishing him and his family the best,” reasoned Wood.
“So I will be acting in the position until the term is up next year and elections are constitutionally due in February 2019 when we will go back to the general body to vote for a new executive.”
Smith’s resignation came just six months after all three national coaches quit the junior programme stemming from a disciplinary issue involving Smith and her son.
One of the coaches, Caroline Vaughan, was told she couldn’t coach at the junior Pan American Games in Toronto following a verbal exchange with Smith and her son, who is a junior national player.
Apparently the aforementioned extra-ordinary meeting was called to discuss the unresolved matter.
“The matter in question, which was an incident involving the treasurer that led to the coaches resigning, is still on the table and we are close to a resolution,” said Wood.
“That will get my full attention in the coming weeks because it has caused the sport to be in disarray for too long. It has taken too long to come to a resolution and we need to move on.”
Efforts to reach Sealy were unsuccessful. (JM)
