President changes meeting agenda

National sports federation members are demanding a special general meeting of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) for which a list of resolutions are being drafted.

The call for a meeting comes as CISNOC struggles financially to send Team Cook Islands to the Pacific Games in Noumea.

Representatives of about 15 federations gathered at CISNOCs Maraerenga premises yesterday thinking they did so for a special general meeting called by the executive board.

Instead they were told by CISNOC president Sir Geoffrey Henry that it was an informal meeting of the family at which no votes would be cast and no general matters discussed.

This is not a special general meeting. We are not going to ask for your voting and we dont need a quorum for the meeting to proceed.

Theres no other issue to be discussed at this meeting except one how we work together to raise sufficient funds to cover the cost of Team Cook Islands to and back from Noumea. Thats the only issue that will be dealt with as this meeting.

That angered some sports code members, who are now demanding a special general meeting be held immediately after the New Caledonia games.

People have been misled that we were having a special general meeting, triathlon representative Geoff Stoddart told Sir Geoffrey.

I apologise for that, Sir Geoffrey responded. This is a special meeting in the sense that its a gathering of the family.

At least 14 days notice must be given of a special general meeting and as yet no date for the next such gathering has been set.

Brian Baudinet, representing tennis, has prepared the first 11 resolutions for CISNOCs executive, which he plans to table at the next special general meeting.The first requires the entire executive board to resign.

Baudinet also demands a written admission of the boards incompetence and an apology to federation members, signed by each executive.

The board is responsible for financial positions thats very clear therefore the board is responsible for the current mess we are in. Geoff Stoddart and I have been talking about this for two years and its a position that in my view could have been avoided but wasnt.

He asks for written guarantees from the board detailing repayment of debt, including a government guarantee.

Baudinet says CISNOC must be restructured immediately, including the appointment of one person as chief executive and secretary.Baudinet was one of the few outspoken members of yesterdays informal meeting, although his submissions drew nods of agreement from other federation representatives.

Stoddart pointed out that CISNOCs constitution also needs to be amended through a special general meeting to allow financial secretary Richard Neves and internal affairs secretary Bredina Drollet to become board members.

The constitution allows for a certain number of executives and at present there is not the room for either Neves or Drollets appointment.