Matthews takes over at Swimming
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday May 29, 2023 16:00
Matthews received five votes while three went to Gondo. Matthews was taking over from Andrew Freeman who did not seek re-election and Matthews will be leading Swimming together with her executive committee for two years.
The annual general meeting (AGM) was heated from the beginning as members raised concern that the association was not compliant with the Registrar of Societies (ROS). Gondo said BSSA was not in good standing with the Registrar and that it is against the law. “You are non-complaint and as such you have no power to enforce authority on clubs to be compliant,” argued Gondo.
Solomon Mpusetsang of Propellers Swimming Club added that BSSA had not filed audited financial statements with the Registrar. However, Darrell Morton from DMSS suggested that as long as the association was recognised by the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), it is safe to proceed. For her part, Matthews explained that they are in the process of submitting audited financial reports to the ROS.
When giving the executive report, former president, Freeman said they were working on constitutional review and it will be submitted to a legal advisor with the last stage being presented to the general membership for adoption. “We have not finalised the BSSA strategy, we take responsibility for the delay as the executive committee,” he said. Speaking to Sport Monitor after her victory, Matthews said the debates that were raised during the AGM were valid. “It is necessary for people to express themselves when they are not happy about something.
If a lot of things have not been achieved, we should be taken to task as to why that has not been achieved. For me I take criticism well in that it is a note that in the next AGM we should not be in the same position where we are being asked about these same things. For me, dialogue is fine and it is good for people to speak their minds,” Matthews said.
Other results: Vice President-technical: Sidingulwazi Sibanda. Secretary-General: Ntsebo Saleshando. Vice Secretary-General: Kelebogile Letshwiti. Additional members: Valerie Ives and Gwendolyn Harry. Meanwhile, other candidates who were vying for the position of additional membership, Roseline Seleka, Sian Noble and Montle Jack did not attend the AGM while Israel Keitumele rejected nomination.