MAS slate unvieled for ASTT elections

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NEWSDAY
MAS slate unveiled for ASATT elections
Monday, September 26 2016

The Movement for Aquatic Success (MAS) officially revealed their slate to contest all positions in the
elections of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) scheduled for October
14.
Wendell Lai Hing, a FINA certified referee and a member of the CCCAN (Central American and Caribbean
Amateur Swimming Confederation) technical committee who had previously indicated his intention to
challenge Joseph Mc Leod for the presidency, expressed pride and satisfaction in his team as they were all
announced at the campaign launch which happened at the Centre of Excellence on Republic Day.
The team includes three former swimmers and national record holders in Franz Huggins, Chantal RossThomas
and Anthony Edwards. Huggins, who is the local coach of Olympian Dylan Carter, will be contesting
the position of 1st vice president, a position which would see him oversee the technical arm of the sport.
He is the owner of swim club Arieos Aquatechs and established over 30 national records.
Ross­Thomas, who still holds multiple records despite her departure from competition over a decade ago, will
be contesting the post of 2nd vice president, a position which oversees the fundraising aspect of the
Association. She also holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Sport Management and was previously
employed at the Ministry of Sport. She addressed the gathering on Good Governance and Financial
Independence.
Edwards, the youngest on the team at age 26, is the candidate for Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer. He also
addressed the gathering on his graduation from athlete to professional as an engineer, and also to a coach
and administrator.
He identified how the sport assisted in his personal development, and indicated the various challenges he
encountered and promised to be “a voice for coaches and swimmers”.
Jason Wickham, who served from 2006 ­ 2011 as ASATT Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Public Relations
Officer (PRO ), will be making his return to contest the PRO position. Wickham, who unsuccessfully contested
the president position in 2013, currently co­manages the Centre of Excellence Swimming Pool Complex and
has pledged to contribute to transform the image of the Association.
Rounding off the team are Andrea Brache and Indardeo Maharaj.
Brache will be contesting the position of Secretary while Maharaj the position of Treasurer.
Brache is the holder of an Executive Masters in Sport Management and has 14 years experience in Sport
Administration and has been an active volunteer at the club level. Maharaj also is a volunteer within the
fraternity with decades of experience in the corporate world and is the Managing Director of his own business.
The gathering included learn­to­swim instructors, water polo and swim coaches and administrators, parents,
technical officials and even athletes current and past. Among those in the audience making contributions
during the open forum included two­time Olympian Sharntelle Mc Lean, swimmer Cherelle Thompson, former
president of ASATT and head coach of Tidal Wave Aquatics Hazel Haynes and long­time learn­to­swim and
competitive coach Ralph “Linky” Yearwood.
Lai Hing was pleased at the turnout at this interactive session which saw persons get an avenue to freely
express their views. Among the issues raised by the audience were the general democracy of ASATT ,
transparency, the emasculation of council as it relates to decision making, lack of proper planning and the
National Aquatic Centre.
Of particular concern to those in attendance are the allegations of “ghost clubs”. This term was coined to
describe clubs who are on the Association’s register but do not actively participate in the activities of the
Association, and do not have the requisite amount of athletes to be deemed a constitutional member. Lai Hing
assured the audience that measures were being taken to deal with this issue should the need arise.
While the constitution of ASATT provides that the term of the officers of the association shall be one year, the
last election was held on October 31 2013. At the October 14 election, the audited accounts of 2012, 2013,
2014 and 2015 are expected to be presented.
Team MAS candidates:
President ­ Wendell Lai Hing
1st Vice President ­ Franz Huggins
2nd Vice President ­ Chantal Ross­Thomas
Secretary ­ Andrea Brache
Treasurer ­ Indardeo Maharaj
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer ­ Anthony Edwards
Public Relations Officer ­ Jason Wickham
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Team MAS has cleaned up. we finally have a swim association.
New ASATT Officers

President : Wendell Lai Hing
1st VP: Franz Huggins
2nd VP: Chantal Ross-Thomas
Secretary: Andrea Brache
Treasurer: Indardeo Maharaj
Assistant Sec/Treas: Anthony Edwards
PRO: Jason Wickham

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TRINIDAD EXPRESS
No honeymoon period
New executive to get to work after sweeping ASATT elections
Published on Oct 15, 2016, 10:30 pm AST
Updated on Oct 15, 2016, 11:36 pm AST

NEW ASATT HEAD: Wendell Lai Hing


Wendell Lai Hing is the new president of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago, having defeated incumbent president Joseph Mc Leod for the post when the Association held its executive elections during their AGM at Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s on Friday night.

The Movement for Aquatic Success (MAS) secured all seven positions up for grabs, with the election of President setting the tone for all positions as Lai Hing defeated Joseph Mc Leod 25-21, with one spoilt ballot.

Lai Hing, who served as secretary of ASATT on two previous occasions, was humbled at the result and stated that “there would be no honeymoon period” as there were many pressing matters to deal with such as constitutional reform, CCCAN 2017, ASATT Invitational, National Aquatic Centre use and the National Short Course Championships.

Franz Huggins replaced incumbent Gregory Mitchell winning the post of 1st Vice-President by a 26-21 margin. Huggins debuts as an officer of ASATT, to add to his cadre of swimming achievements. He is currently the head coach of Arieos Aquatechs and is the primary local coach for Dylan Carter.

Chantal Ross-Thomas was the victor over veteran open water swimmer Gordon Borde for the 2nd Vice-President position. Also winning by a 26-21 margin, Ross-Thomas will bring to the table her wealth of experience from working in sport, aided by her Masters qualification in Sport Management. Her focus is to develop a fundraising strategy to make the association self-sufficient. Ross-Thomas also is make her debut as an officer of ASATT, defeating Borde, who served as an officer on six different occasions.

Andrea Brache secured her position of Secretary over Nicole Coombs by the same 26-21 margin. Indardeo Maharaj amassed the most votes by any candidate, winning the Treasurer position 27-19 over Denise Kamal. Outgoing treasurer David Calcut did not seek re-election.

Both the Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Public Relations Officer posts were contested unopposed, with the other slate’s candidates declining nomination on the night.

Outgoing Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Francis Sampson and PRO nominee David Sobrian did not accept their nominations on the night.

Anthony Edwards and Jason Wickham won the positions of Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Public Relations Officer, respectively.

Wickham returns to the PRO position following a five year hiatus. Wickham also served as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and then PRO during the period 2006-2011. He did not seek reelection in 2011, and in 2013 unsuccessfully contested the post of President.

The first council meeting of this new term was scheduled for October 25 and the next swim meet, the Tidal Wave Aquatics Interzone Schools Swim Meet, takes place today at Centre of Excellence, Macoy

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https://swimswam.com/%E2%80%8Btidal-wave-wins-open-short-course/