media_artricles :: 2016

Serrette seeks third term as NAAA boss

Ephraim Serrette, who has steered the National Association of Athletics Administraions (NAAA) through the past eight years, said yesterday that he will be seeking a third term as president at the sport's annual general meeting (AGM) and elections of officers scheduled for Saturday.

This will be at the Radisson Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, from 2 pm.

Standing in his way though is current NAAA's fourth vice president Paul Voisin, who will challenge him for the top post.

Serrette said over the last few years, under his stewardship the administration has considerably improved the image and performance of the association, firstly by becoming incorporated as a non-profit organisation as well as undertaking constitutional reform.

"At present, our association has adopted an amended constitution which will provide us with the opportunity to restructure our operations. The recently adopted constitution now affords for the establishment of a board which will consist of 11 members instead of 17," said Serrette, who has been a member of the NAAA's executive for the past 12 years. "With an executive of 17, at no time you will always have agreement."

In 2005, he was appointed third vice president and two years later, was elected to the post of president. The members of his slate is not unfamiliar to the responsiblities of the association as they have been involved in running the sport over the past few years and competing in athletics for even longer.

Contesting the first vice president position is George Comissiong, who has been a member of the executive for 18 years. He has served as chairman of the Games Committee for three years and has been chairman of the Economic Planning and Fund Raising committee for the past 15 years.

Allan Baboolal, who is the current general secretary and has been a member of the NAAA for the past 35 years, is seeking the post of second vice president.

Another familiar face is soldier Dexter Voisin, brother of Serrette's challenger Paul. He is a Warrant Officer Class 1 and holds the position of Regimental Sergeant Major at the Defence Force Headquarters. He is a well-known former middle and long distance athlete during the period 1981-1997, and was a Carifta 5,000m bronze medalist in 1988. He is currently the head coach of the Defence Force Athletics team and is the holder of an IAAF Level 5 Academy Chief Coach Certification.

Seeking to fill the positions of directors are Dawn Washington, Durly Lucas, Ian Carter, Robin Brereton and Lucretia Burns.

Washington is is a former athlete who represented T&T on the regional stage. Lucas is the founder and president of Tobago Falcons Athletics, a past president of the Tobago Athletics Committee and has been a member of the NAAA executive since 2004 serving in the positions of third and fourth vice president and committee member.

Carter has served T&T as a coach, trainer and an administrator in both track and field and hockey. He has been a track and field coach since 1993 and is an IAAF Level 5 Sprints and Hurdles Coach. He is also a certified IAAF Lecturer and has lectured on IAAF Levels one, two and three courses locally and regionally while Brereton has been an executive member of the NAAA since 2000 and Burns has some 30 years experience in track and field.

Serrette feels that this group of individuals will continue to function well in achieving the vision, which is "'Striving for Excellence' is not just a name, but rather, it speaks to a team of professionals who are forward looking and proactive and who possess a clear vision for the sport of track and field in T&T."

Through this outlook the Serrette slate hopes to foster and support outstanding athletes and encourage increased participation in athletics.

Serrette said," We hope to increase sponsorship for the sport of track and field and provide technical and administrative leadership and direction to all elements of the sport. To establish a rational system of athlete development that ensures the conditions necessary to produce, on an ongoing basis, athletes of the ability required for teams in regional and international competitions and manage programmes and facilities that will ensure the attainment of all these objectives."

On Saturday, Serrette's team will try to win more votes than Voisin's, which include massage therapist and personal trainer Brent Elder, who will be contesting the first vice president post, Kelvin Sorrillo for second vice president position and for the treasurer post, Aaisha Martin. The battle for the Directors positions will be versus Jinskin Clarke, Sherwin Joseph, Ronnell Barclay and Shayne Cooper.

Ephraim Serrette's Slate

President: Ephraim Serrette

First vice president: George Comissiong

Second vice president: Allan Baboolal

Secretary: Dexter Voisin

Assistant secretary: Andre Leung Woo Gabriel

Treasurer: Carlene Haynes

Directors:

Dawn Washington

Ian Carter

Robin Brereton

Durly Lucas

Lucretica Burns

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