Following the SJAI UR (Ulster Region) AGM last week I have thought about the issue of the election of office bearers, which seems to have been a cause of concern for some at the meeting.

The articles of association, with which we work, were I think drawn up by the late Lord Lowry, ex national chairman of the association. It is my understanding that for reasons of continuity with-in the committee the office bearers should be nominated from the existing committee and then elected at the AGM, for the next term. The rest of the committee then stands down and if they wish can be nominated for election at the AGM.

Anyone who wants to be an office bearer should therefore have been on the committee for at least one year! It would be totally unsatisfactory, in my opinion, that someone could be nominated for an office post that had no experience of the work of the committee. Anyone who is interested enough to serve the association, as an office bearer, should be committed enough to serve first as an ordinary member of committee.

By this system 20% of the committee would carry over for the following year and the remaining 80% present themselves for re-election, which seems fairly democratic to me!!.
At the AGM on 30th November there were 5 new members elected onto the committee, which is 20% of the total new committee (and 25% of the ordinary committee members). Hopefully all members on the committee will work for the good of the whole region and perhaps all interested members who attended the meeting and sought election to the committee, but were unsuccessful this year, may perhaps seek election next time.

It is, hopefully, a positive sign that there were many at the AGM who are keen to take an active interest in their sport and I look forward to seeing their involvement at "grass roots" level throughout the coming year, working with the ordinary members, show organisers and officials who voluntarily give of their time to provide facilities and events in which all participate.

Philip G L White

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