Lanisha Rolle
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
THE relationship between the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) and Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Lanisha Rolle has become tenuous, with members now demanding she either sit down for formal talks or be removed as minister.
BOC Secretary General Derron Donaldson yesterday insisted the organisation’s current position is not political or discriminatory.
He said despite the organisation’s willingness to move past several issues, things remain at an impasse.
Mr Donaldson asserted that an immediate resolution is needed if all sides are to move forward amicably.
The state of Mrs Rolle’s relationship with BOC was first highlighted by Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis, who yesterday at his party’s monthly press briefing called on Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to immediately intervene.
Mr Davis suggested that it would be “unnecessary and foolhardy” for Mrs Rolle to pick a public fight with local sporting organisations and BOC.
He said while the Official Opposition wouldn’t immediately move to call for her removal, it viewed Cabinet intervention as critical to the overall state of sports in the country.
“It appears that (Mrs Rolle) is ignoring the federations… in keeping with what appears to be a policy of this government to shut out sports culture and you know, only weigh in when there are successes in these areas,” he said, pointing to what he referred to as a lacklustre response to the Carifta team’s recent success.
“When it comes down to dealing with the processes to be able to get those successes, and deal with the administrators who worked tirelessly, selflessly and very often without pay to see to those successes, the government turns a blind eye, a deaf ear and it appears that it’s business as usual, and we don’t need to pay no attention to you or hear you,” Mr Davis insisted.
Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday, Mr Donaldson claimed that since being moved to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Mrs Rolle has refused to build a relationship with the various sporting federations.
Mr Donaldson said things came to a head following Mrs Rolle’s decision to travel to Yokohama, Japan, last month for the 2019 IAAF World Relays without seeking BAAA accreditation.
Mr Donaldson said procedures and protocols mandate that state officials seek accreditation at a national level via that country’s national sporting body, which would then write its international counterpart to arrange all formal aspects of the trip.
“You see, that did not happen,” he told The Tribune. “She travelled by virtue of an IAAF invite without note to the BOC president. That’s not protocol at all. Added to that, she took meetings there and didn’t even make an attempt to arrange to have the local sporting bodies, on the ground for the event, present at those meetings.”
Mr Donaldson continued: “We wrote her on this and in her response letter she said she was not subject to, or bound by, any agreement of protocol relative to the BOC. We as a sporting community demand more and we deserve more. Hence our position.
“We accept that she may be unaware of certain things relative to the post of minister of youth, sports and culture, that’s why we are asking that she sits down with us as we look to fix the issue.
“But if she isn’t interested in doing that, then we can move to the next step. But this is all up to her,” he added.
When asked if Mrs Rolle has shown a willingness to sit down and hold talks with the BOC, Mr Donaldson said to date, she has not given any indications.
In the letter referenced by Mr Donaldson, Mrs Rolle wrote that ministers are committed to Cabinet meetings on Tuesdays and therefore, it would be inconvenient and not customary to schedule meetings on that day.
However, she didn’t make any further recommendation for a meeting date.
Mrs Rolle was one of four Cabinet minister reassigned last July, going from social services and urban development to youth, sports and culture.
While in her former role, Rights Bahamas called for her resignation after she asserted that marital rape should be viewed as a private issue.
The remark came as a shock as she is the only woman in the Cabinet and it was made at a time in when the government was facing pressure to amend laws to protect the rights of women.
Mrs Rolle could not be reached for comment yesterday.
More like this story
- Lanisha’s ministry: We need to talk
- BOC heads meeting with national sporting bodies
- ‘The antics of having to stand when she enters a board meeting is not one that sports leaders were very comfortable with’
- UPDATED: Cabinet Office confirms Lanisha Rolle's resignation, says 'certain matters' are under investigation
- ‘No police probe’ of Lanisha Rolle
Comments
OriginalBey 5 years, 5 months ago
Arrogance and ignorance is akin to bleach and ammonia; combined they are toxic. Regardless of position the minister should be keen to learn as she leads.
moncurcool 5 years, 5 months ago
Here again Davis making a non issue and the BOC as well. If it is so call protocol, then why did the IAAF send her an invite as the BOC leader indicated. Shouldn't the IAAF have communicated its invite to the BOC for the minister. . All this protocol garbage being stirred up is really nonsense in this country. We need to learn to separate things.
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 5 months ago
This isn't even about this issue. She doesn't appear to be able to build consensus. And to be fair to her, it's a skill, not everyone has it. Without it she is unsuitable for a ministerial post. Like tell it says wherever she goes controversy follows. They could put her in charge of the lunch ladys and it woukd be the same thing
Sickened 5 years, 5 months ago
I certainly get that impression. Without know here personally it seems that she thinks too highly of herself in every situation. She needs to go to church and learn to be just a tiny bit humble.
tell_it_like_it_is 5 years, 5 months ago
To be honest wherever Lanisha goes, trouble seems to follow.
You can't just keep saying it's always everyone else... at some point you have to look in the mirror and ask yourself what needs to change!
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 5 months ago
Again??????
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
She sorely lacks social graces, empathy and grey matter. In other words, she's petulant, rude and dumb. Bottom line: She's just another shining example of Minnis's inability to exercise good judgement. She should have never been allowed to be a candidate on the FNM ticket in the last general election.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 5 months ago
Laneisha Rolle is not Cabinet Minister material .......... Is she a brown noser???? ....... or does she have some dirt on Minnis????? ........... She should not be around the table or in Parliament.
stillwaters 5 years, 5 months ago
Yeah, she is a contentious so-and-so, but to give her some credit, she has not had a major pow-wow for years. Just so you know, I really can't stand this girl.
licks2 5 years, 5 months ago
Shooting off yinna mouths as usual WITHOUT A CLUE OF WHAT YA TALKING ABOUT!! Learn to read between the lines peoples. . .don't always be like mudder-take-sic. . .a loose cannon, shooting through his hip, mouth, ears, eyes and pee holes at one time. . .all over the dang place splattering the walls with chicken doo doo!!
Mrs Rolle is not ya regular run of the mill public servant boot-licking minister!! She has a reputation of "an aversion" for boot-licking brown noses who expect ministers to "treat them special" and allow them business as usual!! Since she came into Y&S the "free-loaders" them are moving out. . .the gravy train with political cronies are required to carry their weights or get the hell outta the boat (ministry) . . .plenty PLP and old FNM residuals are not being allowed to reek havoc as they did in the past!! For example, BOC (an NGO) has no jurisdiction over a minister or government department and cannot determine where and when a government minister go or invited by whom. . .THAT'S WHY THE IAAF did not invite her through them. . .who is a different body than BOC.
Mrs. Rolle is seen as a "cleaner" minister. . .she will be sent to slack out of control ministries to put them into some semblance of a viable government ministry that functions for the benefit of all and not just a "entitled few" who feel that "THEY RUN THINGS" . . . there some other ministers that are seen as fixers. . .some of them are just more subtle in how they weed out garbage. . .she "een on they run". . .slackness must go. . .PERIOD!!
However for me. . .the first question comes to mind is what the hell BOC has to do with IAAF business?
Anyway. . .USE YINNA HEADS AND STOP FOLLOWING ADDLED BRAINS, LOUD MOUTHS LIKE THIS BUBBLE THINKING MUDDER-TAKE-SICK!! He makes enough noise as a dozen empty barrels!! Cho cho cho cho cho cho cho. . .none stop. . .outta every hole it seem!! And when he /she is done. . .we are right back where he/she started. . .only thing accomplished is everybody within a mile has spit and other juices dripping all over!
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 5 months ago
Management is an art. The military style drill instructir, dont ask me no questions, i in charge, manager is 1950's. Progressive managers seek to build consensus. Lanisha causes CONFUSION. She never brings order. Just look at the results.
licks2 5 years, 4 months ago
I can safely say that YOU HAVE NEVER WORKED IN PUBLIC SERVICES. . .that touchy-feely management style with get you as far as the carpet in the PM office. . .in her case, being a minister and all!! There is no consensus building management in PS. . . ya hold ya own or ya get run outta them ministries. . . CHECK HER RECORD. . .SHE COMES IN AND DEAD-BEATS HAUL A WILD TAIL TO SOME PLACE ELSE. . .DEAD-BEATS THAT EVERYBODY IN THEM MINISTRIES KNOW ABOUT. . .
stillwaters 5 years, 4 months ago
Wow.........what a rant!!!!!!!
TalRussell 5 years, 5 months ago
The comrade prime minister might well make it package deal rid populaces of at least one more crown minister. The toxic relationship by a substantive crown member should no longer be overlooked.... Then there's also that jackass of a politically appointed board chairman's that needs get his back barn pink slip, yes, no......
licks2 5 years, 5 months ago
All board chairpersons are politically appointed. . .hangers on and cronies. . .ALL AND SUNDRY! Only thing is that them FNM cronies are in now and yinna PLP cronies came out two years ago!! "Wha ya point is"?
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 5 months ago
So you saying the FNM come in and rather than seeking to find qualified candidates who could turn our corporations around, tgey simply continued the practices of the PLP?
licks2 5 years, 4 months ago
Duh. . .well yea!!! In fairness, both governments may get a few who know and are trained in their areas. . .BUT FOR THE MOST PART. . .CRONIES. . .HANGERS ON. . .FRIENDS. . .FAMILIES. . .LOVERS!!
DWW 5 years, 4 months ago
wow. that might almost be ineligible. congrat tal, you must be staying in school
TalRussell 5 years, 4 months ago
Ma comrade, I've been experimenting kitchen new Brownies Light recipe..... guess in preparation Dr.Duane's restricting import one me main ingredients - CBD, yes, no..........SOB...........even my next door fellow baker - the Prophetess - is upset with the health minister...........
birdiestrachan 5 years, 4 months ago
She is the favored one. She can do as she like and act as she pleases. doc will not . be stepping in not at all.
TalRussell 5 years, 4 months ago
A confidential survey taken with comrade 91 409 voting red shirts 2017 - clearly says there won't be but a handful red shirts MP's making 2022 comeback, yes, no................ that if Queen signed royal decree to put Minni's leadership to secret MP's balloting - he'd be tossed out PMO, yes, no.......................
jackbnimble 5 years, 4 months ago
In my office they shared this article and most of the comments started with, ‘I am not surprised’ of ‘Here we go again’. One encounter with Laneisha Rolle and you too will say it. Her reputation proceeds her both in and out of politics. She is NOT nice so no surprise that havoc follows wherever she show up. Like some of the other commenters, I too wonder what Dr. Minnis’ fascination is with her or what she has on him. She’s clearly not cabinet material!
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