Netball Jamaica (NJ) says it has received a draft audited financial report, which could clear the way for the organisation to schedule its long-overdue annual general meeting (AGM).

The NJ elections were last held in 2021. All NJ positions, including the presidency and directorship roles, will be up for re-election at the next AGM. Incumbent President Tricia Robinson is currently serving her second term.

Karen Rosen Baugh, Netball Jamaica’s director of marketing and sponsorship since 2021, says the association is very ecstatic to have finally made some progress in its efforts to stage the AGM.

“We are committed to full transparency of all the financial and operational transactions of the organisation,” said Rosen Baugh.

“We are finally at the stage where we have now received the draft audited financials for the first two of the outstanding years,” she said.

Rosen Baugh noted that her organisation is currently reviewing the draft audited financial report and therefore, an AGM date will be announced shortly.

“This is before the board for final review and approval. The next step will be to confirm the date of the AGM and communicate this to our members. We therefore expect the AGM to be announced for May. The date and venue will be communicated after our final review,” she said.

Derrick Brown, president of local netball club Global United, says this is a massive step for NJ because all its members are very eager to finally have an AGM.

“It is a step in the right direction and I know that the members have been clamouring for an AGM and the finance being ready, and so I know that once the election date is announced, I know that the members will be extremely delighted about that,” Brown said.

“This election is well overdue and once the AGM is held then we should be in good stead and we will just move forward and get ready to work for the betterment of the sport,” he said.

Veteran coach Christopher Smart said that he is also excited by the news that Netball Jamaica is in the final stages of staging an AGM.

“Personally, I am very happy that we are getting this [audit] out of the way because it has been a burden on the netball fraternity and not just the board. We are really overdue for an election so as to allow the members to give a new mandate to who they want to direct us,” Smart emphasised.

Tricia Robinson, the Netball Jamaica president since 2020, has indicated that she will not be seeking re-election to the post.

Rosen Baugh, who previously served on the NJ board from 2012 to 2016, primarily during the presidency of Marva Bernard, is expected to be elevated unopposed as the association’s president.

ROSEN BAUGH… we are committed to full transparency of all the financial and operational transactions (Photo: Karl Mclarty)