CISNOC resignations not personal

Calls for all CISNOC executives to resign are not personal, some national sports federation members say.

The leaders of 12 federations have requested a special general meeting of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) be held on November 8.

They have circulated an agenda, which includes an item of resignation from the board.

Last night executives resumed a meeting which began on Monday.

CISNOC president Sir Geoffrey Henry has promised to publicly disclose today the boards decision about whether a meeting will be held accordingly.

In a letter to Sir Geoffrey, signed by Tennis Cook Islands president Madeilene Sword and the organisations representative on CISNOC Brian Baudinet, reasons for the calling of a special general meeting are outlined.

Sword and Baudinet say the meeting is expected to be well attended.

They say the meeting has been called in relation to a number of well recorded concerns, signs of financial distress, and concerns about the failure to deliver outcomes as expected or promised by the board as a whole.

We wish to make it clear that this SGM (special general meeting) has not been called in pursuit of accountability from any one board member. The calling of this SGM is not a personal matter in any respect, the letter (delivered yesterday) states.

Sword and Baudinet say a number of legal and governance issues will be discussed at the meeting. Any member should have the right to speak, and we ask that care be taken to ensure that such opportunity be given.

Among proposed agenda items is one for the restructuring of CISNOCs board, which would see the number of executives reduced.

It is suggested financial secretary Richard Neves and internal affairs secretary Bredina Drollet be appointed to the board temporarily, in line with conditions of a government loan to CISNOC of $126,000.

There have also been some vacancies on the board recently.

Dan OBrien has just been appointed as CISNOCs new treasurer.

OBrien used to be the food general manager for the Cook Islands Trading Corporation (CITC).

His first day in the voluntary post at CISNOC was last Monday.

OBrien has not worked for CISNOC previously, but having had 22 years in banking and finance he volunteered to help the organisation out.