Frustrated members of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) are taking matters into their own hands.

Instead of waiting for the organisations executive board to call a special general meeting as promised, those involved in running 12 national sports federations have done it themselves.

A notice calling for a November 8 meeting, signed by presidents and secretaries of the 12 federations, was yesterday distributed to all CISNOC members.

Written by Tennis Cook Islands president Madeilene Sword, the notice to executive board members requests a special general meeting be called on November 8, when various federations will have legal representation available.

In the past few months there has been growing concern about CISNOCs financial status, its inability to meet objectives and a perceived lack of skilled leadership. In August, two weeks out from the Pacific Games in New Caledonia, CISNOC announced to government (and the public) that it could not afford to send Team Cook Islands to the tournament.

Accordingly, $126,000 was loaned to CISNOC by cabinet and that must now be repaid.

Putting the debt aside, there is still doubt as to whether CISNOC is fiscally capable of meeting its commitments.

During the Pacific Games debacle, CISNOC members pleaded with executives for a special general meeting to be called.

President Sir Geoffrey Henry promised to do so, on return from Noumea, but that was more than a month ago and nothing has happened.

Recently CISNOC administration manager Siniva Marsters told Cook Islands News that a meeting was not likely to be called before December.

That was due to the time executive board members need to prepare the organisations financial data for analysis and because CISNOC secretary general Rosie Blake has been out of the country.

Unable to wait, federation heads have taken the initiative to call a meeting and circulate its agenda.

On the list of 10 agenda items is the request for all CISNOC executives to resign and for the organisations constitution to be changed, allowing the reduction of executives from 11 to 7.

That would see the positions of senior vice president and assistant secretary general abolished and the number of vice presidents reduced from six to four.

Those calling the meeting from tennis, boxing, rugby league, squash, swimming, triathlon, volleyball, weight lifting, canoeing, football, netball, and table tennis federations also request the summary of CISNOCs deteriorated financial position and ask to be advised of the extremely limited viability of CISNOC operations under management of the current board.

Another agenda item seeks the facilitation of financial secretary Richard Neves and internal affairs secretary Bredina Drollet to be appointed to CISNOCs board (a require- ment of governments loan to the organisation).

The agenda also calls for a new board of directors to align CISNOCs operations with its resources, and calculate and implement a five-year debt repayment plan, as well as prevent the use of certain funds for debt repayment.

Whether external advisors to the board should be appointed will also be considered.

If confirmed by the executive, the special general meeting will take place at CISNOCs Taputapuatea premises in Rarotonga from 4.30pm on November 8.

All sports codes, representatives of outer islands associations and existing CISNOC board members are urged to attend.