The world bodies
must be blamed for everything that's taking place in an unmonitored
TTOC/NAAA operations in T&T. because of their failure to put
proper structures in place in the hands of Neophytes. Too much
recycling of positions within the NAAA makes it a perfect breeding
ground for corruption to hold on to office for the enjoyment of
incentives. The NAAA has a history of recycling administrative
positions on National Teams going on foreign Track & Field
assignments. They call themselves members of the “Flyers Club”
the frequent flyers.
“One of the
saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long
enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no
longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has
captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to
ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power
over you, you almost never get it back.”
― Carl Sagan, The
Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
As the NAAA’s
Annual General Meeting election rivalry heats up, news media outlets
in T&T is Taciturn. They have not published any information
about the impact funds from sponsor organizations may have on the
overall “athletic political system” in the country. Corruption is
a major ongoing issue in the country and as the saying goes, “money
talks.” The current NAAA body is using this element of their vision
effectively.
Transparency
International is an organization that tracks public sector corruption
in different countries. The T&T Sporting power implementations
should pursue some form of guidance.
The NAAA is very
blatantly mismanaging the development of athletic clubs, facilities
and equipment operations in the country. The intent of the
organization is money based. “Show me the money!”
HERE IS THE MONEY:
The affiliated
clubs are dealing with the known issues of corruption and perception
of corruption. The clubs want change in the NAAA political system.
Essentially, it caused a massive flood of money to enter the
electoral system equating money and free speech.
The current NAAA
president wants it changed the way non-profit organizations can spend
money, which increased the number of political action committees and
other similar organizations, removing the previous financial
restrictions on them. The effects of that decision will be felt at
almost all levels of Track & Field within the NAAA’s political
engagement.
While the marriage
between money and the NAAA politics continues to be worked out, the
importance of continued vigilance on the issue of corruption needs to
be sustained.
Dr.Cliff Bertrand
Olympian
