Tweet

The Embezzlement of almost ½ Million Dollars is at the center of a recent shake-up at the SKNAAA St.Kitts-Nevis Amateur Athletic Association.  In a meeting held over the weekend some 7 of the 9 Clubs in the SKNAAA presented a resolution to the President Glenn Jeffers which outlined a number of concerns of the member clubs.

Chief among the concerns was a lingering debt of some $400,000 plus which was misappropriated by former SKNAAA President Rapheal Jenkins .  According to the documents and resolutions presented by the clubs Jenkins misappropriated over $400,000 of the SKNAAA monies of which to date almost $200,000 remains outstanding.

The clubs in the resolution declared that the outstanding amounts owed by the former President have stifled the programmers of the Association.

The resolution stated “President Jenkins was held in a position of trust and was expected to exercise the greatest levels of integrity, both of which he ignored. This matter needs to be given the utmost priority.

We the member clubs are directing the executive to provide a written update to all members by 6th July 2015. It is required that the SKNAAA Executive use its very best efforts, including legal action to effect a resolution by September 30th 2015.”

Also of concern to the clubs was a debt of some $300,000 owed to the association by the ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation. Some of the debt was written off with the balance to be settled via services from ZIZ including advertisement space and spots on their radio and tv stations as well as online.

With regards to the outstanding funds from ZIZ the resolution stated “Following the hosting of the 2008 CARIFTA Games here in St. Kitts, ZIZ owed the SKNAAA approximately EC$300,000. Since then the association gave debt forgiveness to ZIZ of most of these funds, leaving the station to pay a cash amount and the balance to be redeemed in in-kind advertising services.”

The resolution went on to give deadlines for the outstanding ZIZ issue to be resolved

“The Executive of the association is hereby directed to take immediate steps and to use its best efforts to have all remaining cash balances paid up in full before the end of September,2015 and to devise a proper system to guide the access and use to that amount payable in services,” the resolution outlined.

The Clubs also outlined other issues in their resolution including the selection of National Teams and recent debts incurred as a result of the hosting of the Carifta Games.

The resolution also referenced the recent International FIFA Scandal. It stated “The recent fallout at the highest levels of the international body responsible for the administration of football, (FIFA), has only served to highlight the magnitude of some of the issues in sport management that are in need urgent restructure.

The current FIFA scandal has brought into spotlight the shortfalls of associations, when it comes to accountability, transparency, inclusiveness and the practice of sound democratic and constitutional principles. As we should be aware, former and current top FIFA officials have now been indicted by US authorities, with others being sought via extradition. Some have also been placed on the Most Wanted list of the FBI. Charges have been leveled for various offenses including bribery.”

The resolutions and the meeting held have caused major fallout for the SKNAAA as President Glenn Jeffers has resigned with two other executive members threatening to resign as a result. Jeffers is credited with leading the association through its most successful period having successfully hosted the CARIFTA Games in 2008 and 2015 as well as tremendous success by Team SKN at the regional and International level with the National Relay Team led by Kim Collins earning a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2011 and the World Relays In 2014.

Jeffers also led the SKNAAA successful reconciliation with Kim Collins who is this weekend set to appear at the Nationals in preparation for the World Championships later this year. Jeffers also serves as General Secretary of the National Olympic Committee. He is considered probably the hardest working and most successful president ever of the SKNAAA.