Long overdue Jamaica Basketball Association elections still not held

No date has been set for the long overdue Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) elections despite a specially held meeting, led by Hazel Cameron, Interim Steering Committee (ISC) of JaBA,, and its affiliates, on Sunday August 24, 2014. The reason given was the thorny issue of the outstanding financial reports and minutes from its last Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The JaBA AGM and elections were first postponed in April and again in May, after demands by the delegates for up to date financial statements were not met.

It was hoped that a presentation of up to date financial statements at Sunday’s meeting of the Interim steering committee (ISC), would have resulted in a new date being set for the elections. But news coming out the meeting is that the executive of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) has been dissolved with immediate effect.

Calvin Martin, the Southern Conference Basketball Association President, and deputy chairman of the interim steering committee says the committee will continue in its role, confirming no new election date has been fixed. Calvin told “Star Sports” in an interview that they have also employed the services of an auditing company to audit the books of JaBA from the last three years.

“We have been auditing the affairs of JaBA over the last three years and this is a very sensitive matter.The auditors expect to complete this report by the next six weeks and, after this, the constitutional committee will be preparing to represent the draft for amendments to the constitution,”

Martin noted that as soon as the audit is completed, an election date will be announced. He also disclosed that nominations will also be reopened for candidates to vie for places on the JaBA executive.

Three candidates are currently being considered for the post of president – former national team manager Mark Broomfield; JaBA marketing executive Paulton Gordon; and former JaBA assistant secretary general Douglas Reid are vying to replace the former President of JABA, Ajani Williams who served the association for five years.