The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHILE president Romell Knowles, secretary general Derron Donaldson and newly elected treasurer Dorian Roach went in unopposed, the remaining cast for the Bahamas Olympic Committee’s executive board was completed during the election of officers on Saturday night.

With the exception of one newcomer, Adam Waterhouse from the Bahamas Rugby Union, all of the incumbents contesting their same positions or new ones, were returned by the delegates in the Paul Farquharson Building in the Royal Bahamas Police Force headquarters.

Joining Knowles, Donaldson and Roach were Roy Colebrook and Cora Hepburn (with 16 votes apiece); Clarence Rolle (14); Bishop Joseph ‘Joe Mo’ Smith (13); Darcy Rahming Sr (12) and Robert Butler 12-10 in run off with Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre, after they were tied with eight each, for the six vice presidents spots.

In an historic voting procedure, there were a total of 16 persons who were nominated for the vice president spots. The others in order of voting procedure were Shane Albury (7); Vincent Strachan and Theodore Sweeting (6 each); Algernon Cargill (5); Brian Cleare and Moses Johnson Jr (4 each); Sean Bastian and Gina Rolle (3 each) and Lori Roach (1).

Oria Wood-Knowles claimed the assistant secretary general spot with 14 votes over Jenny Isaacs-Dotson, the president of the Bahamas Softball Federation and Ramsingh-Pierre, who both had four, while Waterhouse got in as the new assistant treasurer with 14 votes over Isaacs-Dotson (5) and Strachan (3).

Knowles, a former versatile national team player and executive of a number of organisations, said he was really pleased with the selection of the board, whom he will work with during his second consecutive four-year term as president. “I’ve had a chance to work with just about everyone on the board, with the exception of Adam Waterhouse from rugby,” Knowles said. “But we’ve seen the contribution that he has made to rugby and so we welcome him on board.”

Knowles commended all of the persons who offered themselves for elections and noted that his team will work with all to ensure that no sport is left behind in their quest to make the country more vibrant on the international stage.

Although they are now in the process of getting the national team off to the Pan American Games next month in Santiago, Chile, his administration will be working towards hosting a sports seminar for all associations and federations before the end of the year.

Donaldson, back to serve as the secretary general for another term, said the election process went very well and he commended all of their members for the diligence in hosting the elections, even though it was overdue.

“This has been a busy year and we were in the midst of a number of teams travelling and we are right in the midst of another travelling for the Pan Am Games, which is a qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games,” Donaldson said.

“So usually we try to have the elections in November, but we didn’t want to interfere with the games, so we found this window and we’re glad that we were able to get the elections off.”

Donaldson, a former executive of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, admitted that every four years, but because of COVID-19 and the lockdown, they had to delay the elections. He noted that this turned out to be the opportune time, with a year out from the Olympics, to stage the elections and not be interrupted in their planning.

In the only position that had to go to a re-run to break a tie for the sixth and final vice president spot, Butler said it was a relief to have gotten in, even if he was the last man in.

“It’s like the weight of the world is off my shoulders,” he stated. “Sitting in the chair and listening to my name being called and her name being called, it was nerve-racking. I’m glad I won because she is just as qualified to serve. At least I can get back into it for one more term. So let’s see what happens.”

Ramsingh-Pierre, one of few women who put their names into the hat to run for the various positions, said she was thrilled to have been afforded the opportunity to test the waters. “It was thrilling. It was an honour to see that equestrian is really taking its place in the sporting world in the Bahamas,” said Ramsingh-Pierre, who in 2016 founded the Bahamas Equestrian Federation, one of the rising sporting bodies in the country.

“All of these people in the room here tonight have sports and its development in their hearts and to see that a sizable portion thought it worthy for me to be given a chance at this endeavour, I’m happy with it. Congratulations to Robert Butler who won in the end.”

One of the two women returned to office was Hepburn, a former national team volleyball player who represented the Bahamas Gymnastics Association.

“It’s always good to return, so I’m thankful to all who supported me,” she said. “I will continue to push for equal opportunities for women. This is the first time in the history of the BOC elections that we had six women vying for positions, so I will continue to encourage persons to immerse themselves into federations so that they can be dominated for positions.”

As a new kid on the block, Waterhouse said he’s excited to be in a position to serve on the highest sporting body in the country.

“I get to work alongside Dorian and I know that we will get a chance to continue to push for the smaller associations and federations to get a chance to get representation on the board,” he said.

Roach, the president of the Bahamas Triathlon Association, said he now has a chance to serve at a higher level in the country.

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “D’Arcy (Rahming) is still on the board, but as a vice president, so I know he will help to make the transition for me and Adam (Waterhouse), the assistant treasurer, an easy one, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

In garnishing the highest number of votes for the male vice presidents, Colebrook said it’s a testament to the contribution that he has made, but he knows that they can’t rest on their laurels.

“We still have a lot more work to be done,” he said. “We need to make sure that our athletes are taken care of as we push the Olympic movement forward. So it’s important that we have persons who understand that movement as we continue to take the Bahamas to higher heights.”

And even though he has a heavy load as a pastor of a Church of God, Bishop Smith, the president of the Bahamas Volleyball Association, said he’s excited and jubilant at the same time.

“We will have a lot of work to complete,” he stressed. “The team is a great team. The things that we have forecasted for the next four years is great. It’s good when a team can sit together. We can accomplish much.

“I’m back committed to doing what I have committed to do in the BOC. I know volleyball is on the rise, especially on the beach volleyball side, so we have some plans with NORCECA and FIBA that we want to implement and I feel like all of the other federations have their plans that will be brought to the table.

“So we just have to see how well we can assist them all.”

President Knowles commended the Bahamas Football Association for electing its first female president; the Bahamas Basketball Federation for advancing to the Qualifying Tournament for the Olympics; the Bahamas Equestrian Association for the efforts they are making along with the Bahamas Golf Federation.

The elections was conducted by Kendal Isaacs, a lawyer and host of the popular sports talk show “Getting It Wright,” while NACAC president Mike Sands, Petra Haven and Ethan Adderley served as the observers as they counted the ballots casted.