IRSA elections, CEEFIE newsletter #5: Executive Committee

[Lester]

As is becoming traditional, we thought IOM sailors might be interested in the CEEFIE newsletter dealing with the IRSA Executive Committee, sent recently to the IRSA Delegated National Members.

Dear DNM

This is our fifth newsletter to you, setting out our policy intentions for a better IRSA. The topic in this newsletter is our plan for developing the Executive Committee structure.

Summary
We will review the EC Administration and the EC committees and will make recommendations to bring the EC up to date and make it fit for purpose. While IRSA Membership, the DNMs, will continue to follow the ISAF model of regional membership, we expect that the EC structure will move from regional representation to an EC with a class based representation system. In addition to class committees, we expect to put the right people in the right places for measurement, treasurer, elections, events, and information and communications.

Review of governance documents
The Chairman will be tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of IRSA Administration (Constitution, Regulations, and Committee and Officer terms of reference) and with making recommendations to bring these up to date and fit for purpose.

Measurement committee
We will consult on the establishment of a Measurement committee to provide support for IRSA classes. Its purpose would be to develop International Measurers in liaison with ISAF, liaise with ISAF on the Equipment Rules of Sailing as they may affect radio sailing, develop improved and cost-effective measurement for IRSA and other radio classes, develop tools and procedures to support electronic measurement certificates which would be acceptable internationally as well as nationally, and investigate new developments, such as ISAF procedures for In-House Certification of sails.

Treasurer
The incoming Executive Committee will be tasked with conducting a review of the office of Secretary/Treasurer and delivering recommendations to address the increasingly difficult circumstances surrounding the management of IRSA finances. It is expected that a constitutional position of “Treasurer” will be established.

Elections Officer
In the run-up to the IRSA EC elections of 2014, we saw an unconstitutional attempt by the IRSA EC to refuse the nomination of a candidate. We saw interference with a free and fair election process by the IRSA EC who issued party political “statements” in the name of the IRSA EC. We saw the abuse of IRSA EC authority in the issuing of “communiques” in the name of the IRSA EC whose contents were entirely party political and quite divorced from the legitimate business of the EC. To reduce the possibility of similar actions in the future, we will seek appropriate constitutional and regulatory changes so that the EC election process is controlled by an independent Elections Officer who is not an interested party to the election.

Events, Infocomms
Our proposals for committees for Events, and for Infocomms, will be the subjects of our next newsletters.

The CEEFIE candidates
CEEFIE are a determined group of concerned volunteers from a large variety of backgrounds with a common goal of wishing to make a difference in our sport, please help us achieve this by electing the whole group.

Chairman: Lester Gilbert (GBR)
Vice Chairman: Eric van der Kindere (BEL)
General Secretary / Treasurer: Henning Faas (GER)
Racing Committee Chairman: Nigel Winkley (GER)
Technical Committee Chairman: Graham Bantock (GBR)
Organisation & Policy Committee Chairman: Terry Rensch (GBR)
Publicity Officer: Pedro Egea (ESP)
Regional Officer Americas: Patrice Montero (FRA)
Regional Officer Europe: Matteo Longhi (ITA)
Regional Officer Oceania: Selwyn Holland (AUS)