Concerns Leading Up to the Cycling Federation’s Elections
Elections at the Cycling Federation of Belize are scheduled for next Saturday, but there is growing concern that all is not above board. The federation is currently led by former U.D.P. councilor Dion Leslie who is seeking election now as a vice president to Orson Butler. The contending team is led by Alexi Ordonez, a well known cyclist of the Ordonez Bike Shop. Now, the elections were delayed earlier this year, and with the date fast approaching, Ordonez claims he is being boxed out. Today, he spoke to News Five’s Duane Moody about the conundrum at the federation.
Duane Moody, Reporting
For some time now, members of the Cycling Federation of Belize have been concerned about the lack of communication and the development of the sport by the Federation. There have also been concerns about a delayed election that was to take place earlier this year and is just now set for April twenty-eighth at the UWI Open Campus on Princess Margaret Drive. But on Thursday, an email was reportedly sent to members requesting that they show up to vote next week Saturday, but there was no mention of who are the candidates.
Alexi Ordonez
Alexi Ordonez, Candidate for President, Belize Cycling Federation
“It’s been a struggle since the beginning for us to get an election date and secondly now it’s been another struggle to being able to run on a slate. What was mentioned that the 2017 registered members will be the only eligible members to vote and even though the elections have been put to April twenty-eighth, 2018. The current federation hasn’t mentioned who is on their slate. We have been outgoing; we have a Facebook page under the theme Upward Bound with my entire slate on it. The campaigning has happened for us; however, we are being boxed out.”
Duane Moody
“It’s a tactic you would say or assume that it is a tactic to have the leadership unchallenged?”
Alexi Ordonez
“Basically it seems unfair and clearly that they are just trying to maintain absolute power.”
That move by the administration is being fought by aspiring president, Alexi Ordonez and his team because three members from his “Upward Bound” slate would not be eligible to contest the election, Ordonez included. Today, the acting secretary of the federation Orson Butler was issued a letter of requisition for which he has seven days to respond.
Alexi Ordonez
“Today, we have served the acting secretary with a requisition signed by fifteen members of the 2017 and the 2018 registered members and he now has seven days mandated by the constitution to give us a reply.”
Duane Moody
“Now what is in that requisition?”
Alexi Ordonez
“It’s just to address some critical issues leading up to, related to the pending election and different things that we highlighted in the constitution. We are requesting an extraordinary general meeting to highlight that we would want to run in this up and coming elections and just given a fair trial as well several different things of concern at the EGM.”
Ordonez and his family are well known in the sport. Aside from managing their bike shop on Pelican Street in Belize City, he has also surrounded himself with a team that is dead set on moving cycling forward.
Alexi Ordonez
“I come across the cyclists on a daily basis so I hear all the concerns and that is the main factor—communication. The communication barrier between the current members and the current federation is minimum to none. We haven’t had an annual general meeting since, I think for the past five to six years. Only technical meetings they have been having and nothing is discussed. I’ve been in cycling since I can remember; I am very passionate about cycling as well as my fourteen members. Currently one of the members have two kids who are top-notch cyclists so she is passionate about this her entire life as well. The other two members are active cyclists in weekend warriors. Not only that we bring what the other team is not bringing is dependability, accountability, transparency and development of the sport. And one of the things I highlight the most is communication. We will communicate more and have more active meetings and hear the concerns and make the sport better and moving here forward.”
Reports are that Butler has also fielded a slate with current president, Dion Leslie running as his vice. Duane Moody for News Five.
Efforts to contact Butler earlier today for comment were unsuccessful. In addition to Dion Leslie, Perry Gibson is reportedly also on Butler’s team.
