7 News Belize

Cycling Membership Makes "No confidence" Vote In President
posted (December 5, 2012)
Last month we told you about the power struggle in the Belize Cycling Association. Deputy Belize City Mayor Dion Leslie wants to replace president Emil Moreno - but Moreno is not going out so easily.

Leslie says he ahs a support of a majority of the members - while Moreno says he better check the constitution because the Association is now a Federation and he has the support of the district delegates.

It should have come to a head last month at the AGM but that was postponed when Leslie showed up with a busload of cyclists. The matter is now in the hands of the Sports council but now Leslie's supporters are pushing forward a no confidence petition.

He explained it to us today:

Dion Leslie - President Aspirant, Belize Cycling Association
"The cyclist decided that the best way to show that the disapproval for the current executive is to come together and sign a document of no-confidence for the president and his executive, and that's what is being done. I believe that we have close to over 50% of registered cyclists in the country; we have signed that document. Those who haven't signed, they haven't been able to see the document as yet, but we understand that they are willing to sign it because everyone is on the same page. They want Mr. Moreno to please step down. The show of attendance at the meeting in late November in Cayo showed the man that they don't want him anymore. They want a new vision for cycling. They just want to move forward, and that's what this is about."

Jules Vasquez
"But, are you all bypass the process, where the Sports Council is waiting on a report from the President, and it's in hand at the Sports Council? Are you all just trying to circumvent this, and just force your way?"

Dion Leslie
"We are not forcing or way any at all. We will allow due process to follow. The Sports Council will do what they have to do, but it's just the cyclists. It's not us. We're out there pushing a pen in their hand and forcing them to sign this. Cyclists are coming, and they want to see something happen."

Jules Vasquez
"Is there any provision for a no-confidence vote under the BCA Association rules?"

Dion Leslie
"Under the BCA, there is nothing that says about a no-confidence vote, but in it, there does says that he was supposed to - an election was supposed to be held at an AGM at the last week of November, at ever for years. And that came and gone, so no talking about it, you need to go ask him why - if you are saying that I am not following it - why he hasn't followed the constitution. Why didn't he call the AGM, why weren't elections held, and why wasn't a new executive put in place, whether it be my slate and me, or his slate and him?"

Jules Vasquez
"Because he runs a federation, and you are going for president of an association."

Dion Leslie
"The Belize Cycling Federation does not exist, maybe in the minds of Mr. Moreno and some other -"

Jules Vasquez
"It is on the website."

Dion Leslie
"I can put anything on the website, Jules. Does that mean it's viable?"

The letter accompanying is addressed to the Director of the National Sports Council and asks him to remove the current President and his Executive and to oversee a smooth transition to free and fair elections. It says the request is urgent because the new cycling season starts in December.

Due to time constraints we were unable to get a comment from Moreno.


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