Jamaica's version of a good old hockey fight

Hockey in Jamaica has been thrown into complete chaos! A few weeks ago, the entire executive resigned en bloc, essentially because they have a problem with one man, Richard Shaw, who was - and is now again - the vice-president of the men's side of the Hockey Federation. The list of complaints against Shaw is long.

My understanding is that a document was circulated citing some 23 different problems the executive had with him.

Among the complaints was that he wasn't carrying out his duties properly, and that men's hockey has gone nowhere with him in charge of competition. The executive will tell you about his continued fractious behaviour and disrespect to members of the board, including the president. Shaw was accused of having no report at crucial council meetings. He is accused of deserting a team he was in charge of at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico. (Incidentally, I spoke to him about this and he said all he did was leave a day early because of job commitments after being in Puerto Rico with the team for two and a half weeks).

He is also accused of having self-serving interests and using hockey to push an agenda for personal gain. He is blamed for wanting to profile at 'big events' but not to work. And his commitment to hockey has been questioned. Etcetera. Etcetera.

Rightly or wrongly, the hockey executive had had enough and decided to get rid of Shaw. Based on what he has said, the board voted 3-2 to dismiss him. He wouldn't have any of it, and put the matter to the general council of clubs. The council ruled that the Hockey Federation constitution doesn't allow for the executive to dismiss anyone without approval from the general membership, and asked that he be reinstated.

The executive, led by the affable president, Victor Tomlinson, wouldn't budge. He and the other members interpreted the constitution differently and felt they were well within their right. They quoted to me a section of the constitution that any vote taken by the board is binding on all members.

The council disagreed, then voted 24-8 that Shaw be reinstated forthwith. Tomlinson and the rest of his executive then had no choice. All of them handed in their papers and walked.

witch-hunt

Shaw feels this is nothing but a witch-hunt against him. He doesn't deny that he could have done things differently on some issues, but he insists that he is proud of his work during his tenure on the hockey executive. The VP feels that all the brouhaha could well be because, over the years, he has had a less-than-cordial relationship with Tomlinson, and he feels that the executive was out to get him for personal, rather than professional, reasons.

Tomlinson, for his part, has denied that there is a vendetta, and maintains that they couldn't work with Shaw simply because of the litany of problems they have had with him.

The drama took a new twist when Shaw himself spearheaded the effort to form a new executive, which he says the hockey constitution gives him the right to do, as the sole surviving member of the executive. Leon Mitchell is now the interim president until November 8, when all positions will be officially decided.

Hockey has been in limbo, with nobody having a clue what will happen next.

In my view, this is one for the minister of sports to get involved in, or some other authority figure to which both sides can relate. You can't have an entire executive of a national association resigning en bloc and it's business as usual.

Both Victor and Richard mean the sport well, and a way must be found for the two to work together harmoniously until Victor's scheduled stint expires. Whichever body is cobbled together now will lack credibility.

This isn't a community youth club; this is a national association. The powers that be that claim they love sport must not stand by and watch this happening. I appeal to Sports Minister Olivia Grange to get involved. Use your office to try to mend fences in the interest of the sport.

Grange could also try to get legal luminaries to weigh in on the constitutional dispute.

Whatever the outcome, the impasse shouldn't descend into a good old-fashioned hockey fight.

Orville Higgins is a sportscaster. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.