The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Contrary to the claim that the Bahamas Union of Teachers has garnered the support of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association in their work-to-rule dispute with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the GSSSA has announced that it has worked out its differences and is going ahead with its basketball season.

On Thursday, just hours before they kicked off the season at the DW Davis Gym, the GSSSA held a joint press conference with the Ministry of Education and its parent body - the New Providence Association of Public High School Principals - at the ministry to set the record straight.

Among their clarification was an announcement on Thursday morning that president Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson, first vice president Penial Bain, second vice president Albert Simmons and assistant treasurer Mark Hanna had been removed from office at a meeting held on Wednesday.

NPAPHSP’s president T Nicola McKay, the principal at CR Walker Secondary School, said the meeting was unconstitutional because only herself or Johnson could call a meeting. Further she noted that if there are any grievances within the GSSSA, it has to be addressed to the NPAPHSP and then forwarded to the Ministry of Education.

None of these procedures were adhered to prior to the meeting being called where Varel Davis, secretary general of the GSSSA, has resumed the duties of the association in the absence of Johnson, Bain, Simmons and Hanna.

“The majority of the coaches wanted the work-to-vote, so we asked them what were their gripes and we realised that they didn’t have no serious issue to stop basketball,” said Johnson, who attended yesterday’s press conference with Bain, Simmons and Hanna.

“As far as I know, the minister said all of the teachers have been paid and are being paid, so why are we stopping sports? They didn’t have any serious issues. We came here last week Thursday and met with the minister and he explained what after-school sports is and the policy. So we agreed to continue with basketball.”

While there seems to be a rift between the executives of the GSSSA on the matter, Johnson said they are moving forward with basketball and hopefully everybody will come back together and they can continue to function as the executive team that was formed during the election of officers in September.

The other members elected to serve on the board though 2015 are Tia Rolle, the assistant secretary and Tamar Bodie, the treasurer.

McKay said her association intends to meet with all of the executives of the GSSSA to see how they can mend whatever differences that may exist before they have a meeting with all of the coaches to ensure that everybody is on the same page as they move forward.

Johnson said last week they had agreed to postpone the pre-season basketball tournament, which came on the heels of the successful running of the volleyball season in which the CV Bethel Stingrays captured both the senior boys’ and girls’ titles and the AF Adderley Fighting Tigers were crowned the junior boys’ and girls’ champions.

During the volleyball season, cross country was adversely affected as many of the coaches withdrew their services and eventually a number of the events that were planned, were scrapped.

Fitzgerald, however, said cross country was not affected by the work-to-rule initiated two weeks ago.

“When we met with the coaches, that concern was brought to us,” Fitzgerald said. “But we, the ministry and the principals association and the GSSSA, had extensive meetings in moving forward. Yes, some coaches expressed their concerns, but at the end of the day, none of them had anything to do with what is going on now.”

McKay said the after-school activities by the GSSSA has nothing to do with the work-to-rule. “Work-to-rule has to do with school hours. If you are coaching, you are being paid separate and a part for coaching responsiblities, so you have a choice. Either you agree to do it, or you do not,” she said. “If you do not want to do it, then you will not be paid. Then the principals will have to find somebody else to do it, if you are now saying you’re not going to coach anymore.”

Fitzgerald said while they have a cadre of coaches already employed by the Ministry of Education for the after-school sports, those who would wish not to participate will be replaced. He said they will use who they have on staff first, but if the need arises to hire outside of the system, they will do so.

Those who they seek to bring in from the outside will obviously have to go through a “wetting progress” that will include the involvement of the Police through a security check. But he noted that they have not had to go down that route as yet.

Johnson, a physical education teacher at CI Gibson and coach of the Rattlers’ senior boys basketball team, said as of today, basketball games will be played at all of the government gymnasiums, including CI Gibson, DW Davis, AF Adderley and Anatol Rodgers.

“The gyms will be well protected by the Police. They have informed us that they will be there in full alert,” he said. “We are encouraging all government school students to come out and have some fun.”

Following basketball, the GSSSA intends to begin soccer in January. Track and field will be held from January as well. The sporting calendar will conclude with softball for girls and baseball for boys.