Deferment of CISNOC AGM raises questions
The Times has been informed that the Cook Islands Sports and Olympic Committee’s (CISNOC’s) Executive Board is once again at loggerheads with some of the sports codes.
This time it is over the deferment of the AGM scheduled for Tuesday 24 July 2012. On Wednesday 18 July 2012 at 4.47pm, General Secretary Rosie Blake advised the codes as follows;
“ In light of the many National Feds & Island Associations requesting for deferment of AGM, until the Audit report is complete. The Executive Board would like to give notice that the CISNOC Annual General Assembly be postponed till further notice until the Audit report is complete.”
This notice did not sit well with two sports codes. Their Joint President contacted Blake as follows;
“Aunty Rosie and Executive Board Members of CISNOC.
I want to challenge your decision to defer the AGM, which was advertised and scheduled to take place on Tuesday 24th July 2012 at 6.00pm at the AOG Hall, Takuvaine.
I do not believe that the majority of National Federations and Island Sports Administrations who are members of CISNOC have given you their mandate to defer.
I have spoken to a few of the Representatives that make up the membership of CISNOC and they do not agree with the deferment.
Yes the audited accounts are required but based on the valid comments made by CI Triathlon, the AGM can still proceed and should proceed.
I look forward to your confirmation as to who are the National Federations and Island Sports Administrations who have agreed with deferring the AGM yet again.”
Blake did not respond to this message so on Friday 20 July 2012, the President wrote further to Blake saying;
“Aunty Rosie and Executive Board Members,
Since I have not heard back from you regarding this very urgent and important issue, I have taken the liberty of ringing around to either the Presidents, Secretary’s or authorised delegate to ask them their views in regards to your email deferring the AGM.
I can advise you that just in a day I managed to speak directly with the following National Federations, who are members of CISNOC and have stated that they disagree with your deferment and ask that you advise ALL National Federations and Island Sporting Administrations, who are members of CISNOC that the scheduled CISNOC AGM for Tuesday 24 July 2012 at 6.00pm at the AOG Hall, Takuvaine does in fact go ahead as planned.
We look forward to your written confirmation that the AGM planned for Tuesday 24 July 2012 will in fact go ahead.
I only had time to make contact with 18 out of the 34 NF’s and Island Sports Administrations yesterday who want the AGM to go ahead.
Please I ask you and the Executive Board to reconsider your deferment decision in light of the many NF’s and Island Sports Administrations who want the AGM to go ahead.”
The Cook Islands Tri-athlon code, in response to Blake’s message of 18 July 2012 regarding deferment, responded as follows;
“Dear Rosie and Dan,
I note the AGM has now been deferred indefinitely.
This further delay to the board’s accountability is not acceptable. Ms Joanne Archer who was hired to prepare the accounts gave them to the board on 18 May 2012.
Audited accounts may still not correctly reflect what has been transacted. Misclassification and mis matching are examples. There is evidence of incorrect accounting outcomes in CISNOC’s recent history with alleged thefts not cleared in everybody’s minds. There is reference to this in the minutes and one accountant refused to sign the accounts as correct.
It is therefore unconvincing to suggest the delayed meeting reason is awaiting audited accounts. You have not advised how many codes out of the total suggested a deferral.
Looking at the financial year to 31 December 2011 is historic. Nothing that happened then can be changed now. All that we are waiting on is quantification and classification of what was received and how it was spent and how far the deteriorated financial position went into the red. At the end of the day the bank accounts, loans and debts already reflect this.
What can be changed now is the current year. But we are already 7 months into it. And you have not presented a budget describing in dollar terms how CISNOC is going to survive this year. Historically CISNOC operated in year 2010 without a budget. This was first admitted at the 2010 AGM and was later evidential. In 2011 CISNOC operated well in excess of its ability to pay and this was even after warning by the auditor Garry Smith (refer his 2011 report). Now in 2012 there is no evidence of a responsible budget being administered. This could be the same mistake being repeated.
Financial survival is especially important now because
1) CISNOC was not granted any funding by central government from the country budget. All that has been appropriated is an amount of $120k sourced from Tattslotto and titled All sports. Only a minor portion is allowed to be used for administration (Ministry of Internal Affairs requirement)
2) In view of last year’s (2011) budget containing some doubtful classes of income described as “reimbursements ” then if these are non recurring they cannot be relied on again.
3.) Known funding was not calculated to last beyond 30 June 2012.
It is clear there will be a new president, 2 new vice presidents and possibly some resigned board members after the Olympic Games are over. It is therefore imperative that sports codes be assured that the financial position of the organisation is not falling further into the red caused by the current board and its advisers sitting on their hands.
I urge you and Dan Obrien to promptly advise codes how the organisation is now paying its way, with an assurance that further loans and unpaid bills are not being accumulated for the new board members. In the absence of accountability in this respect, codes can again call a special meeting themselves”.
Latest:
In a further message to Blake on Friday 20 July at 11.17am the Joint President of two sports codes said;
“Aunty Rosie and Executive Board Members,
As of 11.15am this morning (Friday 20 July 2012) I have personally spoken to either the Presidents, Secretarys or authorised delegate) of 25 out of the 34 NF’s and Island Sports Association who have advised me that they would like to see the AGM go ahead next week. These are Atiu, Mitiaro, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Pukapuka and Mangaia
We are still awaiting a reply from you Aunty Rosie to advise that based on the fact that, as of 11.00am this morning, 24 of the 34 NF’s and Island Sports Adminitrations want to AGM to proceed next week.”
Next week, Rosie Blake will be traveling to attend the Olympic Games in London.

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