Cool heads needed to take CISNOC forward
After three deferments, the CISNOC AGM is to finally go ahead on Thursday at the AOG Hall in Takuvaine commencing at 6pm.
Two items crucial to CISNOC’s future will be up for discussion and while the debate is likely to be “red hot” cool heads will be needed to raise CISNOC out of its current financial predicament and get it on the road to recovery.
Firstly, there is the election of President, a position left vacant by the passing of Sir Geoffrey Henry. The Herald has learnt that four candidates have put their names forward. They are Minister for Sport Hon Mark Brown, President for Badminton Hugh Graham, Paul Allsworth and David Lobb. The contest is expected to come down to between Brown and Graham. Lobb is expected to withdraw his nomination on the night.
The two empty positions of Vice president will also be contested. One position was left vacant after Tua Pittman resigned and the other became vacant when Chris Foster passed away.
Brown’s nomination has raised eyebrows due to the long held belief that politics and sport should not be mixed. There is also the perception that Brown could face conflicts of interest being Minister for Sport and Finance Minister. Brown himself sees no problems and will be hoping government’s commitment to restoring CISNOC’s financial health will get him on the Executive Board.
Graham is a skilled administrator who will bring fresh and innovative ideas to the CISNOC. Something which is much needed right now.
The second crucial issue concerns the presentation of the Financial Statement for year ending 31 December 2011.
One sports code has commented to the Herald that the accounts are disastrous. CISNOC ended the year with a deficit of $123,000.
Worse, is auditor Gary Smith’s qualification on page 2 where he states “ I have not carried out an audit of the financial statements as I consider the records insufficiently reliable to arrive at an unqualified opinion”. This is damning. He doesn’t trust the information supplied by the Board which form the basis of the accounts.
The accounts present a sorry, disastrous picture. A $312,000 loss in 2011 (page 7) to go with a $209,000 loss in 2010. The CISNOC Board have run losses of over 1/2 a million $ in just 2 years.
$32,000 (page 3) of Olympic monies belonging to the Olympic codes “diverted” in 2011 and $88,000 in 2010 to places unknown by the Board and not accounted for. Who authorised this?
A $195,000 loss on the Pacific Games.
The sports code says the Board is both responsible and accountable for the current state of affairs and that the Board should resign at the AGM. The view is they cannot possibly continue with a disaster of this magnitude.
Speaking to the Herald on Wednesday morning, Hugh Graham said his view was that the mistakes of the past should not be dwelt on to the extent that the AGM goes until 2am the next day. It is important to consider how to make things right for the future. If he is elected President this is what he will be focusing on. -Charles Pitt

Herald Issue 608 21 March
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