With no clear indication of the date for the Netball Jamaica Annual General Meeting (AGM), many officials and stakeholders in the country believe this uncertainty is affecting the growth and development of the sport locally as frustration begins to mount over the lack of communication from the association.

All current positions in NJ, including the presidency as well as directors roles, are up for re-election this year. Tricia Robinson, who is currently serving her second term, is the incumbent president.

Robinson has been at the helm of NJ since February 2020, succeeding Paula Daley-Morris, who led the organisation for four years. The last NJ AGM was held in 2021 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.

However, Robinson has remained coy about whether she will be seeking re-election. Efforts to get a comment from her on Tuesday were futile, as several calls to her mobile phone went unanswered.

One prominent netball official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Jamaica Observer that NJ should provide its members with an update on the organisation’s future, adding that the silence regarding candidates is detrimental to the association.

“There have been almost four years without elections, which also means almost four years without financial statements or data management updates. Members do not know the financial state of Netball Jamaica,” the official argued.

“It’s affecting netball generally; no one knows who is running for positions on the board. We don’t know if the president is running again or if anyone on the board is seeking re-election, and all of this uncertainty is detrimental to the sport,” the official added. “I think it’s time for someone from Netball Jamaica to come forward and explain what is happening within the association. The members have been asking, but no one is providing answers.”

Meanwhile, Janet Johnson, a former treasurer of the organisation, emphasised that the members have the right to demand change at the helm and urged them to make their voices heard.

“Members get the leadership that they deserve, and if they want change, they have the power to do so,” said Johnson. “The power lies with the members for every institution, whether country, association, or club.”

Another top netball official, who also requested anonymity, expressed disappointment that NJ has not announced a date for the election of its officers.

“What the organisation is saying doesn’t hold any water, and it doesn’t make any sense,” the official said.

“If our last election was in 2021, then right now, the current board is unconstitutional because we should have had an election for the directors last year, and so it is just a sad day for netball.”

The official continued, “If they are serious about this, they should sit down and resolve the situation. Regardless of whether there is a financial report, they should set a date for the elections and allow the members to decide who should be on the board and then that board can be mandated to sort things out.”

“But you can’t hold the members hostage by failing to hold an election that is constitutionally due,” the official pointed out.