Lue steps away

President of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA), Andrew Lue, is stepping away from administrative work within the entity, as he will not be seeking re-election at the next annual general meeting (AGM).

Lue insists, however, that he will continue to serve the sport in other capacities, although he would not disclose his plans in a telephone interview with The Gleaner yesterday.

“I didn’t come into this to be president for life, and I didn’t come into it for trips, prestige, power or anything like that. I came in to serve, and I think my time to move on is now. I am stepping away for personal reasons really, and I want to give someone else the opportunity who might be able to bring fresh ideas,” Lue said.

“I am not enjoying it anymore. I am not getting paid to do it, so I don’t see why I should continue in something I am not enjoying. I do it to serve the athletes and the affiliates, but it is becoming less enjoyable for me, so I figure it is time for me to leave.

“I will continue to be involved. I will be looking to help to grow the sport differently. I will not say how, but I will help in whatever way I can to grow the sport, and whoever becomes the next president will have my full support,” he continued.

Lue was elected unopposed as president of the JTTA in February 2021, and his administration has been beset with infighting, resulting in the resignation of members. He was also involved in squabbles with different sections of the table tennis fraternity, including affiliates, who were against some decisions of his administration.

In a letter circulated to stakeholders on Saturday, Lue indicated his intent to clear the way for another president.

“I have no interest in returning as president of the JTTA. I will serve up to the AGM when the new president is elected,” Lue said in his notice.

Meanwhile, a JTTA communiqué was also circulated to stakeholders on Saturday, which disclosed that a special general meeting (SGM) will be held on February 7 at the Sports Development Foundation, starting at 6 p.m.

The SGM, stipulated by the JTTA’s constitution before an AGM, will allow affiliates to decide a date for the AGM.

LEADERSHIP

According to Lue, in the interview yesterday, the leadership of the JTTA took this decision because the financial statements will not be ready before the end of February, after the AGM must be constitutionally held. He stated that, at the SGM, the affiliates must decide on the way forward.

“The special general meeting is to determine the date for the next AGM and to determine whether or not we want to go ahead with the AGM, despite what the constitution says, and hold the AGM without the audited statements, which I expect will be ready by the end of February.

“People are getting restless. They don’t want to wait, so I am allowing them the option. We will decide at the special general meeting if we should go ahead. The affiliates can say, ‘No, the constitution says X. We should wait’.

“That was a sticking point and why we haven’t had it yet, because we have been waiting for the audit,” Lue said.