National Assembly Sports’s chairman on GNOC Election

As Chairman, I rise to report for the information of ALL and SUNDRY that The National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sport acting on the provisions of selection 109 subsection 2b and (3) of all The 1997 constitution of the Republic of the Gambia; resolved to oversee the Gambia National Olympic Committees (GNOC) Presidency Election stalemate with a view to surprise the organization and conduct of free, Fair and Transparent election that meet and conform to our international obligation as a Nation this was conveyed to all stakeholders in a later dated on the 9th December, 2010 address to (1) Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth and Sport, GNOC Ag president, GNOC Executive Bureau, National Sport Council Executive Secretary and as such, a stakeholders meeting was convened on Thursday 9th December, 2010. the Secretary General and head of the Civil Service, Director General National Intelligent Agency, Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, The Solicitor General and the Inspector General of police were urged to send in representatives as well.
The meeting which lasted for over five hours accorded Parliamentarians and the Ministry of Youths and Sports, the GNOC Excusive Bureau and the National Sport Council the opportunity to discuss their individual and institutional differences by the Assembly Committee, with a view to reach common grounds in resolving the impasse. Wide range of rang of issue discussed during the marathon session centre on the right and eligibility of both individuals and Associations voters, the GNOC, Ministry of Yoghs and Sport and the National Sport Council; the confusion surrounding the inconsistencies of some clauses and provisions in the GNOC Constitution, the Sport Council Act and the International Olympic Charter. After hearing from all those in attendance and exhausted the day’s agenda, the Assembly investigative panel adjourned the Meeting to Tuesday 14th December. 2010 in order enable Members to digest the issues on the table and to compare and contrast the three laws that were mentioned so as to come up with a comprehensive conclusion.
The Committee was informed by Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth and Sports Mr. Alieu Jammeh that the President had issued an Executive Directives for the conduct of the election which his Ministry informed the Bureau and directed that the election must be held not later than November 25th 2010 taking cognizance of the cancellation of the previous election by the Ministry in the person of Mr. Sutay Jawo the Deputy Director of outh and Sports (as alleged by the GNOC). Although the cancellation was confirmed by the IEC, yet the Permanent Secretary refuted the allegations.
According to the Permanent Secretary Mr. Jammeh, these directives were flouted by some members of the Executive Bureau of the GNOC and other stakeholder, stressing that his ministry’s last resort was to engage the National Assembly Select Committee on youth and Sports to help resolve the impasse. The GNOC officials on the other hand accused the Ministry of interfering in to their affairs which they argue might have negative impact of the Gambia’s position at the IOC with a possible suspension by the international supreme body as stated in a letter sent to the GNOC through a reply sent from IOC on earlier briefings on the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the previous proposed election. This, the Ag. President of the GNOC Miss Beatrice Allen (an executive member of IOC) said is no longer the case as the National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sport’s intervention was time timely and welcomed.
Having recognized the provisions of the GNOC Constitution and the IOC Charter for non interference by neither Government nor any public institution, we deemed it fitting to invoke the quoted section with a view to reaching a common consensus on the issues at hand.
The National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sports clearly explained to all the stakeholders that it is acting in accordance with the provisions of section 109 subsection 2bof the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, geared towards settling the stalemate in accordance with the relevant laws governing the GONC, the National Sports Council and the IOC Charter with a view to harmoniously solving the problem and that the Committee only intends to level the playing field for all and sundry for a free, fair and transparent election.
The second meeting with stakeholders meant to finalize voter list and to come up with a date for the election was attended by the following:
1. Permanent secretary Ministry of Youth and Sports
2. Ag. Executive Secretary NSC
3. Mr. Peter prom-Secretary General GNOC
4. Ms. Beatrice Allen-Ag. President
5. Mr. Mam Essa Gaye-Ag. Vice-president
6. Representative of the IGP
7. Representative of the IEC chairman
8. Representative of the Secretary General Office of the President
9. Representative of the Director General of the NIA
During the deliberation, both the Ag, Executive Secretary of the National Sports Council and the GNOC officials stated that it is those association that are affiliated to respective international federations relevant to their areas that are eligible to vote and individuals who hold appointments in a recognized IOC sporting federations. The Committee presented the list of voters that was provided to it by the sports Council and the GNOC Executive Bureau officials. However, there were objections raised on the eligibility of voting rights of three associations and individuals. This provoked a heated debate between the between the GNOC Bureau (who are in two factions) and Ag. Executives Secretary of the National Council Mr. Abdul Aziz Titawo Mendy.
It was agreed by the committee to invite all Associations and individuals concerned to summit their credentials to ascertain their appointment and affiliations case may be. The associations and individuals in question were.
(1) Judo
(2) Fencing
(3) Deaf Sport
(4) Mr. Dodou Capi Joof of the African Althelic Association
(5) Mr Seedy Kinteh of African Football Federation.
(6) Mr Ousman Wadda of the Islamic Solidarity games Federation
(7) Mr Abdoulie Touray of the Common Wealth Games Federation

After confirming the voter list of associations and individuals the committee adjourned the meeting to Wednesday 5th January 2011 for a press briefing and submission of the final list of eligible voters to the stakeholders and to direct the independence Electoral Commission to conduct the elections.

Going through the GNOC Constitution, the Sport council Act and the international Olympic Charter, it is clearly stated in chapter 4 rules 31 and 32 section 2 of the IOC Charter on reference to by laws that “THE STATUTES OF EACH NOC SHALL, AT ALL TIMES BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OLYMPIC CHARTER AND REFER EXPRESSLY TO THE LATER IF THERE IS CONTRADICTION BETWEEN SUCH STATUTES OF AN NOC, OR IF THERE IS CONTRACDICTION BETWEEN SUCH STATUTES AND THE OLYMPIC CHARTER, THE LATTER TAKES PRECEDENCE.”

The committee also noted the preamble of the GNOC Constituition which among others stated: “WHEREAS THE GAMBIA NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IS AN ORGANISATION AFFILIATTED TO CHARTER AND ALL CODES, RULES, REGULATION AND BY LAWS EMANATING FROM THE CHARTER SHALL BE THE BASIC LAW OF THE GNOC AND SHALL INSPIRE AND PREVAIL OVER THE NATIONAL CONSTITUITION OF THE GNOC. WE FURTHER UNDERTAKE TO COMPLY WITH RULES 28 TO 32 AND THE BYE LAWE TO RULES 28 AND 29 OF THE OLYMPIC CHARTER.”

Furthermore, the GNOC Constitution in Article XX 21/21.1 stated: “SHOULD THERE BE ANY INCONSISTENCY IN THIS CONSTITUTION, OR OMISSION OR DESCREPANCIES BETWEEN IT AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE OLYMPIC CHARTER, THE LATER SHOULD PREVAIL.”

Following the adjournment which enabled members to verify the voter list, the Committee resolved as follows:
(1) Judo- the committee confirmed that Judo process of international affiliation to their international Judo Federation has been completed which was the bases of argument, therefore Judo has met the requirement to vote.
(2) Fencing- it was also confirmed by the committee that fencing has not affiliated/completed their affiliation process to their international federation, thus they are not qualified to vote.
(3) Deaf Sport- the committee confirms that Deaf Sport process of international affiliation to their international federation has been completed which was the bases of argument; therefore Deaf has met the requirements to vote as well.
(4) Mr Dodou Capi Joof- Treasurer of the African Atheletic Association which is a single sporting game that is affiliated to its relevant international federation – his appointment was tendered and certified which qualifies his vote.
(5) Mr Seedy Kinteh of the Confederation of African Football holds an appointment as a member of CAF which is a single Olympics sporting game, thus he is eligible to an individual vote.
(6) Mr Ousman Wadda of the Islamic Solidarity Games which is a multi-sports Games and independent from the IOC does not qualify to vote as an individual.
(7) Mr. Abdoulie Touray, Vice President of the Africa Commonwealth Games Federation. The Commonwealth Games Federation is recognized by the IOC as a partner and not an Olympic Sport therefore he is not qualified to an individual vote.

During the deliberations, Members of the committee were  unamiously hailed by the various groups for their professionalism, efficiency and total neutrality in its quest to settle the Impasse.

Conclusions and resolutions of the committee

1. Eligible list of associations entitled to vote
2. list of individuals to vote
3. Elcetion date 12th February 2011
4. Election Venue – GNOC Head Office
5. Election mandate – the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)

The following are the eligible associations and individuals qualified to vote:

1. Athletics ,2. Volleyball, 3. Basketball, 4. weightlifting
5. Cycling
6. Taekwondo
7. Lawn Tennis
8. Football
9. Golf
10. Rugby
11. Boxing
12. Wrestling
13. Hand Ball
14. Table Tennis
15. Paralympics
16. Cricket
17. Draught
18. Karate
19. Chess
20. Softball
21. Special Olympics
22. Deaf
23. Judo
24. Primary school Sport Association
25. Secondary School Sport Association
26. Combined Services Sport Association

INDIVIDUAL VOTERS

(1) Beatrice Allen
(2) Seedy Kinteh
(3) Dodou Capi Joof
(4) Abdul Shyllon
(5) Adama Njie
(6) Suwaebou Sanneh

CONCERNS
(1) It is however noted with concern that there is no single association that has ever paid its subscriptions since the inception of the GNOC as per their constitution, this issue was also raised. In accordance with article xv 15 (a) which states that: “membership subscriptions to be determined by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Bureau”. The Committee acknowledged that due to the fact  that article xv  15 (a) have never been implemented strongly wish to indicate and recommend to the GNOC General Assembly to immediately look into that provision after the elections as a matter of urgency with a view to come up with modalities in accordance with the said article. The committee resolved that this issue cannot affect the conduct of elections at hand as elections have always been held and article xv 15 (a) had not been met and there have been a law of precedence in this case.
(2) It has also been noticed that some associations are very dormant and as such, the committee wish to urge both the GNOC and the National Sport Council to seriously look into it in order to make sure that associations live up to expectations.
(3) It has been observed that there are some inconsistencies among the laws of the National sport Council Act, the GNOC Constitution and the IOC Charter and the Committee is of the view that the relevant stakeholders should come up with a way forward to harmonize these Instruments.

It was equally noted with concern that the run-up to the October 20th Elections that never took place were marred by chaos and distrust evolving around neutrality issues of impartiality of the line Ministry.

Finally; the Committee wishes to inform all the stakeholders, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission and the General Public that in fulfillment of the 30 Days notice as per the GNOC Constitution, the GNOC Executive Bureau is hereby instructed to conduct the election of The GNOC Presidency on SATURDAY 12TH FEBRUARY, 2011.

Members of the National Assembly Select Committee on Youth and Sport are as follows:
1- Hon Alagie Sillah    - Chairman
2- Hon Alh. Seedy S.K. Njie   - Vice Chairman
3- Hon. Kebba Gaye    - Member
4- Hon Matarr  Kujabi – Member
5- Hon Lamin Ceesay    - Member
6- Hon Yaya Whan    - Member
7- Hon Pa Jallow   - Member
8- Hon Foday A. Jallow - Member
9- Hon Abdoulie Saine - Member
10- Hon Lamin M.M. Bojang - Member
11- Hon Lamin K. Jammeh - Member
12- Hon Yerro M.C. Mballow - Member
13- Hon Cherno Omar Jallow - Member
14- Hon Essa Saidykhan - Member

Done in Banjul, the Gambia this 29th Day of December in the Year of our Lord 2010.