England frighten man! They are keeping a stiff upper lip and will not respond here. Not a peep outta them!

Somebody needs to break that wall a silence. Where is your collaborative report UK? I bet the numbers don’t jive either.

David
NCBAC and the group from England are NOT members of NABO.
This was a joint venture between the three organizations with NABO taken the lead and in charge of the money.

Who is Mike Cummins? Any pictures of him? Rodney, full disclosure, who are you? your full name, affiliate organization, your role and position with that organization, please.

Desmond, feel free to do the same. Thus far credibility is lacking on all sides. Knowing who you are (at least your real and full name) could help bring some sincerety to your side of things.

Correction the past treasurer was John Ellis under Mike Cummings Chair.
John Licorish was treasurer many many years ago.

We apologize to NCBAC for the inaccuracy. This NABO business, to be honest, is new to BU and we are now getting comfortable with its workings. As always we will rely on the BU family and sources to unravel and bring clarity to this matter. It concerns us greatly that the good reputation of Barbadians in the Diaspora is being muddied.

From I know The Nabo wed site was change to reflect the changes. However the board that was recalled had the website removed and replace it with a new site. Total refusal to turn over any info.

Rodney where is the US report that claims a minor profit of 9,000 bds? Why were monies collected in USD an reports issued in BDS? or am i mistaken?

The past chairman NABO, is now the current chairman of the “planning Commitee”. No change to this committee is allow even as member organizations may from time to time experience changes due to elections. Since NABO’s core function and existance to plan and execute these so called “collabarative conferences” then Mike Cummins will be real “chair” for the forseeable furture??????
I know I am mistaken!

Hey Rodney are you in any of the following photos?

http://rumshoplime.shutterfly.com/29#29
http://rumshoplime.shutterfly.com/29#30
http://rumshoplime.shutterfly.com/29#31

Adrian Hinds,

Because the Conference was held in Barbados the financial report was purportedly quoted in BDS$. why mistery question since NABO is a US organization. To confuse people who don’t pay attention. Hence the reason the improprieties were allow to continue for some time.
Agreed that Mike Cummins based on how he is maneuvering from one position to another he will eventually ‘own’ NABO by holding ‘key’ positions. Earl is just a front remember. Bet after Earl’s tenure is up in 2010 Mike Cummins would have been seeking election for Chairman; Earl Ashby , Vice Chair. The NABO constitution states that you can only hold 2 consecutive terms, the gray area is why Earl Ashby is now chairman, so Mike Cummins miss a term and then go for another 2 consective terms. The ‘big 3’ have it all calculated.

Concerned
And to concrete the movements you indicated above the bylaws was change so as no one can be nominated from the floor. Plus they are known for fixing the absentee voting to suit them.

Thanks Rodney.

I have asked this before and i don’t think i got an answer. What is stopping the “duly” elected new executive from assuming the reigns of control of this Organization? The bylaws does not say that the outgoing executive have to agree or acquiesce, or varify the will of 50%+1. On what grounds can they continue to hold out? and how are they allow to do so? Is it not in the least appropiate, for the new executive to demonstrate their legitimatcy by filing for injuctive relief with the state AG of Florida to have those who are now so doing, to cease collecting funds on behalf of NABO, no longer being one of it’s duly elected officers? Attended to this would be to petition the State AG of South Carolina to issue similar or relevant judial relief, Interlocutory,…to deny the occurance of NABO conference 2009 as hosted by the current and alleged illigitimate agents of NABO?

They are not the legal agents of NABO, you are and you have to act.

Still waiting on a response to Adrian’s above.

Adrian to answer your question Cheryl Thompson from Houston was elected as interim Chair and she should be the one acting on this.

It is truly sad that a few of these idiots have set out on a destruction path without taking note of their past and trying to discredit others. The president of South Florida’s Association should be the last to throw stones in the pond. Her past is not lily white. It was reported that amounts totally $10.000.00 went missing under her presidency a few years ago. Madam president where is that money? The president in West Palm can’t even manage his own finances. Recently, he had to close his restaurant and on another note try paying your child support before you lose your driver’s license. The aggravating fool out of Texas is a show pig and a condescending jackass that can’t even complete law-school. Then we have an alcholic out of Jacksonville. The list goes on. Don’t throw stones when your waters are muddy also. Then we go to NY to another thief ..people don’t forget your past when you’re trying to pull others down. Not one of you have clean slates.

Adrian Hinds
The regional directs were not removed, neither was the Mrs Maynard the Sect.
Regional directors are suppose to stay in contact with the associations in they area and try to get other Barbados Associations to join under NABA.
They are part of executive, however as I would say `on the outside looking in`

David
That is the Cheryl Thompson.

Adrian
I agree with you that NABO can play an extremely major role in benefits to Barbados and Barbadians, that is why I have always tried to know what was happening.
Our local association have a exe. board meeting on Sunday and I will see what I can get, as I indicated earlier our Association only rejoined in Jan 2009.

@Don’t throw stones // April 3, 2009 at 3:29 pm

Is this the sum total of your argument? What pray tell is the relationship between the closure of a restuarant,the possibility of someone losing their licence, someone taking longer than is the custom, to be awarded a Legum Baccalaureus LLB, and the facts surrounding the unwilliness of a group of individuals being legally remove per the establish body of rules that had initially legitimise their office? and they NOT WANTING TO RECOGNIZE THIS ACTION? What???

You know, I just came from the BAGH website and i felt like I wanted to be part of it. Here I am living in the Boston Providence Metropolitan area of New England, and I cannot find a website representing any particular Bajan organization. The sad thing is that Earl Ashby, and Michael Cummins live in the same metro area. Is this indicative of anything? am i wrong? Probably, I was told that they are 5 bajan organizations, yet it doesn’t seem like any of them has a web? presence.

@Adrian

Can you name the five orgs?

David // April 3, 2009 at 4:36 pm

@Adrian

Can you name the five orgs?
———————————————–
I cannot, all I know and this is what i have been told, CHA caribbean heritage association, and The independence ball committee. They are a number of cricket teams that functions in a somewhat organize manner, they can be found, listed on http://WWW.MSCL.ORG.. Recently there was a benefit dance put one by a couple of unassuming persons for a friend of theirs that is sick. It was sold out showing to me that it does not take rocket science nor the needless complexity with which NABO is runned to work in the interest of your fellow man/woman. I do not know if Earl Ashby or Micheal Cummins, or the distant and aloof Honary council was in attendance, if they were invited, or if they stayed away becuase they would have had to pay like everyone else. I will check around though.

@Don’t throw stones

When you point one finger out of five 4 point back at you. How can you be calling persons that you don’t know idiots? You can do NABO and yourself some justice and encourage the formerly executive under the leadership of Earl Ashby to clear their names and give the NABO board of directors the answers that they are requesting. I see very early in this blog that someone was bold enough to post information where the chairman of BACA, Ava Foster requested information. Did you find out if that information was responded to? My sources revealed that each and every last one of those questions were answered; none of which were challenged by the executive committee. I would love to be able post that information but because I am electronically challenge and the document is a pdf. file I can’t. I can however give you some more ammunition from the same Ava Foster. Is Ava Foster and the interim chairman Cheryl Thompson really the only ones that have NABO’s interest at heart and the guts to challenge NABO former executive with questions?
I read early that a Jamaican /Bajan gave Ava Foster kudos and based on her assertiveness to get answers I too would give her some of the much needed accolades; can’t say the same for the former NABO executive committee. Attached is a email that Ms. Foster again sent to Earl Ashby after the Board of Director received the financial report.

You be the judge are the questions being destructive; I would say she was trying to get some very critical answers to some very pertinent questions.
—– Forwarded Message —-
From: Ava Foster
To: NABO Members et al
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 10:28:28 AM
Subject: Questions relative to the Documents recently received

Please see a list of questions pertinent to the documents recently received. Regards Ava Foster Chairman, BACA, Director, NABO

Ø IRS Reporting – Which financial report will NABO be using to file the 990 with the IRS; and can the Board of Directors have a copy of the most recent form 990 that was file? Hope the Board of Directors doesn’t have to wait until July to deal with this urgent matter?

Ø Revenue Collected – Which account/s was/were the funds (revenue collected) from the Collaborative Conference deposited into? It is a task for me trying to reconcile back to any numbers on the Bank of America checking account # 0095 0822 3425.

Ø Bank Account – There is a ‘phantom’ accounts that is not part of the NABO’s financial report, “reports for Checking and Credit Cards Accounts”. Is there an error or an oversight that this should be part of one of the documents, be it the NABO’s financial report or the Collaborative Conference Amended Financial Report? An astronomical amount of $233,918.95 in checks were written; not withstanding the fact that the check numbers are out of sequence. Is it that the consulting company, Innovative Business Solutions wrote their checks hence the reasons for them paying themselves approximately $60, 000 (assuming it BD$)?

Ø Credit Card – I had asked a question that since we were the organization “putting up ‘all’ the money why should NABO not be getting the measly couple thousand dollars because of losing interest…etc.” I was told we (NABO) didn’t put up any money but I am seeing a $11,158.16 in credit card payment listed as part of the expenditures on the Collaborative Conference Report; this has further cause NABO to incur some late fees and over the limit fees, etc.

Ø Check Card – If there is a ‘check card’ why some (certain) NABO executive members had to use their own person funds to make purchases for the Collaborative Conference when it was a “Collaborative” and the other 2 organizations were supposedly involved?

Ø Donation To Barbados Community Foundation – Why a established organization like NABO making a donation in cash. Why not a check written from the same account that payments and deposits were made into? Was the funds part of the Collaborate Conference and what was the deciding factor on the amount since it couldn’t have been determined if there was a profit or not? Is it normal practice to put NABO in a deficit position because of a donation? Why then wasn’t the donate funds that was paid upfront split between the 3 organizations?

Ø Sporg – which bank account is use to process transactions (withdrawals, deposits, fees) made online? Can a copy of the Sporg reports be made part of the Collaborative Conference Amended Report?

Ø Travel – There is excessive amount of travel; which I am assuming that it was specific to the Collaborative Conference. Why every time there were 2 people? I can understand since there was a new chairman that there a need to get ‘his feet’ wet the first time; however why every time; in addition to the fact that NABO retained a consultant on the ground in Barbados; paid them in excess of $60,000 to avoid that exact same thing; excess travel. Why wasn’t any of the other 2 organization involved in the excess travel, footing the bills and recovering the funds from the Collaborative after the fact?

Ø Names of Companies (Vendors) that Funds were paid – Can a breakdown of a list pertaining to why these companies were retained and for what?

Ø Receivables – In the course of doing business, is it normal practice to appropriate for funds that are owing to NABO. For instance there is a journal ad that remains unpaid page 90 of the journal. Is those funds collectable? Or we have now collected all the outstanding funds? Also there is a list on the Collaborative Conference Report – source of revenue where a list of dates when checks were received and other are blank; does that mean those amounts are still outstanding?

Ø Distribution of net profit from the Collaborative Conference – have a distribution been made? Will a distribution be made? If not when? Is there currently a strain on the Collaborative relationship between the 2 other organization that might cause a fall out for the future?

Ø Audited Financial Reports – Is the person who have audited the report certified? If so was NABO able to confirm such certification? Where are the standard accepted accounting notes to audited financial reports for not for profit organizations?

My people,my people why are we doing this to each other. Curious I agree with you get the facts and bring them back here, I am a young bajan and quite sadden to see this type of display amongst our people. Is this the right way to handle this situation? In every organization we do have problems,try to work them out without all this negativity back and forth. I did receive a scholarship from NABO which did help me tremendously to further my studies. I did appreciate it very much and to see this negative cloud around them hurts me to the core. Let’s try to work this out.

Stop the foolishness. Try to come up with a solution to this crisis and work together. Divided we fall .. Pride and Industry is Barbados’s motto not hatred and demeaning others. Bajans unite and get this thing together for the good of our country. STOP ALL THIS NONSENSE AND WORK TOGETHER…

—–Original Message—–
From: David
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 2:50 PM
Subject: NABO

Hello Ms.Thompson

Not sure if you have been following the breaking story on Barbados Underground. We would appreciate your comment on or off the record. Unfortunately we don’t have all the facts and would appreciate your guidance, It worries us to have the Bajan name knocking dog on the Internet.Here is the link to our story.

David
Barbados Underground

David:

In response to your email, let me advise you that this all started at the National Association of Barbados Organization’s (NABO) Annual Director’s meeting which was held in Houston, Texas this past January. The meetng generally went well, but ended on a sour note when the Treasurer, Mr. Martin Greenidge, presented us with what has been described as an “insult to our intelligence” financial report. After some discussion, followed by a plea from the executives to allow them to re-submitt a “bound and audited” report, we agreed to give them until Feb 28th, 2009 to comply. Once received, the report was clearly missing a very important page 2, and it also did not appear to have been audited by a credentialed CPA as promised. Furthermore, the collaborative report from the biggest conference that NABO has ever held was separated out, and that had not been audited at all. Given that the collaborative report was the bulk of the finances for NABO during the reporting year, 2008, it raised many eyebrows.

Emails quickly followed, with questions ranging from basic queries regarding specific numbers to more fundamental issues like process and procedures such as who was actually handling the funds and so on. When such questions were posed to the executive, Mr. Ashby and the others started to get defensive, and then totally refused to respond. We were soon told that no response would be forthcoming, and that we would have to attend the July conference if we wanted to get answers.

Our initial response was to initiate a teleconference on January 31st, 2009 to discuss the problems. Mr. Earl Ashby and many of the other executives stubbornly refused to attend the call. However, two Regional Directors, Mr. Atley Clinton and Mr. John Noel were on the call. We asked questions of the two directors, but they had few answers. It became clear almost immediately that the ones who had the answers were not on the call. Given that, we were unable to get very far, and it was agreed that we would have two persons from the teleconference make a further appeal to Mr. Ashby to bring executives to a second teleconference where we would try to get answers to our questions. Two participiants, one executive and an unbiased observer, a Diplomat in the Washington D.C. office of the Barbadian Embassy, volunteered to speak with Mr. Ashby and beseech him to answer to the Board of Directors. It was unanimously agreed that, should Mr. Ashby and other executives remain uncompromising, we would call a separate, legitimate Special Meeting in accordance with Article XIX, Section 1 of the National Association of Barbados Association’s Bylaws which states the following:

“Special general meetings may be called at a time if it is considered necessary by the Chairperson in consultation with the National Executive Council, or at the written request of ten (10) board members specifying the need for the special general meeting.”
When the two representatives contacted Mr. Ashby, the following result transpired:

Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 8:46 AM

To: Cheryl Thompson
Subject: RE: Teleconference Agenda

Dear Cheryl:
As mandated by the persons participating in the Conference call of January 31, 2009 pertaining to the financial statement of NABO and related matters, Mr. Atley Clinton and I spoke with the Chairman of NABO Mr. Earl Ashby on the afternoon of January 31, 2009 commencing at approximately 3:04 pm EST and concluding at approximately 4:30 p.m. EST.
Our report BEGINS:
During the call our objectives were:
1. To convey the abundant concern of several member organizations of NABO on the issues as detailed in the conference call.

2. To indicate our role as intermediaries between members of NABO voicing those concerns and the Chairman of NABO in the light of the apparent inability of the sides to get together on these concerns and reach conclusions.

3. To convey that a number of members are disappointed at the perceived failure of the NABO leadership to try to properly address their concerns in a timely manner.

4. To indicate that while the revised financial report is expected by the end of February, the Chair should undertake immediate dialogue with and not dismiss members’ concerns in order to both more fully absorb the depths of Members’ concerns and to ensure that they will be fully covered in the final report.

5. To share our concern that failure to do this will leave Members of NABO no other choice but to seek further redress including but perhaps not limited to seeking a vote of no confidence in the Executive Board.

6. To express concern that the success of the upcoming NABO Conference in Charleston is being jeopardized.

7. To urge the Chair to set aside any perceived grievances on his part and to reach out to the Membership on their concerns.

8. To discuss a formula for so doing in order to provide an interim response to members pending the submission of the fully audited financial report at the end of February.

We are able to indicate that we were successful in bringing the points from 1-6 above to the attention of the Chairman of NABO.
With regard to point 7, the Chairman of NABO has indicated that he intends to be informed by/proceed along the following lines:
1. He is concerned that efforts on his part and that of the Past Chairman Mr. Mike Cummins to address the concerns of members during and immediately after the formal Board meeting have been summarily dismissed.

2. In some cases questions that he considered settled have been re-circulated by e-mail including to persons outside of the immediate ambit of NABO.

3. He is also distressed that there have been what he sees as attacks on his personal integrity and that of others in his leadership.

4. He will not participate in any conference call with NABO members or engage in further e-mail exchanges on the topics under consideration until the audited financial report is complete since he is convinced that to do so in the absence of the financial report will not be productive.

5. In keeping with the decision of the NABO Board, efforts are underway to finalise the NABO financial statement and have it audited, bound and distributed to NABO members.(He noted that NABO Members have been more generous in the time allocated for this to be done than he would have if the decision were his alone.)

6. He gave assurances that the report will address all of the concerns and questions raised.

7. He also gave assurances that he is seized of all of the concerns and questions presented up to this point.

8. Once the report is finalized and distributed to NABO members they will have the opportunity to submit further questions and to have these addressed.

9. The report will be up for consideration thereafter at the NABO Conference in July 2009 in Charleston, South Carolina.

10. The Chairman will send an e-mail to all NABO Members essentially confirming the procedure to be followed in handling the audited financial report, as indicated above.

Our report ENDS.
Regards

It became clear that Mr. Ashby had no intention of allowing his executives to be answerable to the Board, and, as agreed upon in the initial teleconference meeting, I immediately requested a list of “financial member organizations” from the NABO secretary in order to initiate the process to call for a special meeting. I emailed that request to all organizations listed by the Secretary, and, in accordance with Article XIX, obtained the requisite amount of written responses of those who were willing to attend such a meeting. The general consensus was that we believed that the Chairman and other Executive members were not attempting to address the questions in good faith, and we were unwilling to wait an additional six months, and another conference later, for answers.

However, when the teleconference was first announced, the Chairman, Mr. Earl Ashby made an immediate attempt to quash it, using undue influence by sending out the following email to member organizations:

From: Earl Ashby
Subject:
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009, 7:39 AM

This is a word from the Chairman and the Executive Board to inform you that the telemeeting scheduled and broadcast to directors for March 7,2009 at 10:30am Eastern time:

NOT authorized by the Chairman.
NOT requested by the Board of Directors.
DO NOT follow the contents of the bylaws.
It is an attempt to mislead members of each organization.
It is being orchestrated by a tiny group with intentions to violate the by-laws and destroy NABO.
Broadcast to invitees under false and misleading pretense.
This is NOT A NABO Meeting.
The Executive Board is effectively managing the affairs of NABO and performing the duties of which they were elected and will continue to do so until the next election when the decision is made by the collective body. We are encouraging all member organizations to stay focus with us as we plan for our Charleston, SC Conference which is slated to be another very successful event. We already have the full support of our Barbados government agencies, and local business; both service and industry.
If you have any ideas or suggestions to enhance the format of the conference, please feel free to contact us at NABOEXECUTIVE @NABOINC.ORG
Registration for the conference is available at http://WWW.NABOINC.ORG where you can select an all inclusive package or purchase your events individually. Come, bring your families and friends and join us in beautiful bajan inspired Charleston for four (4) wonderful days.
The Executive Board thank you for your years of participation and support. Feel free to contact any executive member or the chairman at the number below. Thank you.

Earl A.Ashby

Keep in mind that this meeting, legally called in accordance with the NABO constitution and By-Laws, was also covered under Florida State Statutes which govern Nonprofit organizations.

According to Title XXXVI, of the Florida Statutes governing Corporations and Not for Profits, Chapter 617.0808 Removal of directors, states that A director may be removed from office pursuant to procedures provided in the articles of incorporation or the bylaws, which shall provide the following, and if they do not do so, shall be deemed to include the following:

(1) Any member of the board of directors may be removed from office with or without cause by the vote or agreement in writing by a majority of all votes of the membership.
So, according to Florida Law, we didn’t even have to have a reason, although we did.
It is well known that Mr. Ashby, Mr. Cummins, and Mr. Ellis control the majority of member organizations in the North, so as expected, those organizations did not respond to the call for the meeting. We concluded that they either buckled under the weight of the email above, or they simply wanted nothing to do with it. We later discovered that in addition to the email above, there was a lot of background maneuvering, mainly, calls made and attempts to undermine the meeting, and the people involved. Our reputations were trashed in emails, and although we tried to stick to the issues, the name-calling (which is still happening today on your forum) portrayed us as a group of insurgents, or renegades, simply because we refused to give up on getting our questions answered.

Having recently stepped down from the office of the President of the Barbados Association of Greater Houston, my successor was contacted personally by Mr. Ashby, who attempted to befriend, and then brow beat him. He first tried to gently coax and charm him, but when that didn’t work, he came clean and openly advised him that he was now the only one in our organization who legally held the title of NABO Director. What the sneaky Mr. Ashby did not know was that we in Houston have a tremendous amount of respect for each other, and that Mr. Clarke and I happened to be good friends. We had already decided that I would continue in the capacity of BAGH NABO Director as allowed per the NABO constitution. ARTICLE V11, SECTION 3 “The Board of Directors shall consist of the chairman, vice chairman…the president of each state registered local association or PERSON SO DESIGNATED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD of that association”

At that same time, I was informed that Mr. Martin Greenidge (NABO deposed Treasurer) from California, was working on his end to have the then President of BACA (California), another supporter of the call for a special meeting, removed from office. Mr. Greenidge succeeded that previous president, and was eventually sworn in at the end of March.

In addition, I was told that another deposed executive member contacted a member of theSouth Florida Cultural Society and tried to give Ms. Sealy trouble as well. This is clearly hearsay, however, when I personally received a phone call from Ms. Heather Barrow of that same organization, who informed me that she was told that I was trying to “break up” NABO and that I should stop what I was doing, I realized that the pressure was on.

Then came the harassment from cronies of the NABO executive who seemingly were commissioned to further attack and unnerve the emerging leaders by launching personal email attacks. My home phone was also called repeatedly and the caller/s would hang up as soon as the phone was answered. All these things only led to us having a firmer resolve to set things right with NABO.

We have tried everything to get Mr. Ashby and other executives to the table. In addition to personal phone call appeals, I have emailed Mr. Ashby, pleading with him to come to his senses and be open to dialogue. When I discovered that he had actually called in to the first conference call, listened in without announcing himself, and then hanging up when others asked him to identify himself, I sent him the following email in an attempt to persuade him to do the right thing.

From: Cheryl “Cherrie” Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 8:17 PM
To: ‘Earl Ashby’
Subject: I would very much prefer for NABO to remain intact.

Earl:
I am reaching out to you because I want you to know that I have always believed you to be a fair and honest person. I find it hard to believe that you are keeping this hard-lined position on your own.

When I viewed the call statistics and saw that you actually did call in, it confirmed my opinion. I wish you had hung on in there. Most of the anger was directed at the fact that you “dissed” the whole thing.

Hopefully, we can find an amicable solution to our problems. NABO must remain intact! At the same time, the thing is broken and we have to have a willingness on the part of the Executive to fix it. We made mistakes, let’s correct them. If you are unwilling to do so now when the cracks are evident, how can we go on? Please reconsider your position and call for a meeting (conference call). You are the one that we elected to lead us. Listen to your people… the ones that matter; and just do the right thing. Allow us to see the character that is obviously there.

Respectfully,

Cheryl Thompson

Here is Earl’s Response:

…………… !NOTHING! ……………………

When the meeting was convened, 15 separate individuals called in.

Ava Foster: BACA (NY)
June Lashley: BACA (CA)
Dale Husbands (Orlando)
Roslyn Sealey (South Florida)
John Noel (Regional Director West)
Dana Lewis Ambrose (Regional Director South)
Wesley Lynch (BAJAN)
Wayne Bynoe (Atlanta)
Jeffrey Craig (West Palm Beach)
Cheryl Thompson (BAGH)
Regi Clarke (BAGH)
Erlene Arthur (BAGH)
Sylvester Thompson (BAGH)
Miami Consul, C Mayers (Observer)
Barbados Embassy, D Bulbulia (Observer)

Another five or so called in during the call, but failed to identify themselves, perhaps just wanting to listen to the proceedings. It was determined that only nine of the 15 initial callers were qualified to vote, and by a majority vote as outlined in the NABO constitution, the Chairman, Immediate Past Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Public Relations Officer were properly removed from office.
As soon as the results were announced, the past Chairman and other executives started to spread propaganda regarding the constitutionality of the meeting. They led other members to believe that the meeting was attended by only six people and that I improperly appointed myself to the position of Interim Chair.

— On Tue, 3/10/09, Earl Ashby wrote:
From: Earl Ashby
Subject: Intact
To:
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 4:23 PM
From the NABO Executive Board

To: Members of the Board of directors,

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

The majority of you on this board have spent the last five (5) years building this organization to level that has gained international recognition. It saddens me to see that all of a sudden a few disgruntled members have set out to destroy all the sacrifice, hard work and contribution you have made to NABO. Let me assure you that it will not happen. This Executive Board was constitutionally elected in January of 2008 by 22 member organizations to serve a term of two (2) years. You entrusted us with the responsibility of running this organization under your directions. It can, and will only be removed constitutionally at your request. We intend to do everything within our power and under the constitution and by-laws of NABO to protect this organization from such destruction.

In the near future you will hear of a decision made at an unconstitutional meeting to disband this Executive Board. This Executive Board advises you to disregard such decision.

As members of the Board of Directors you are fully aware that for such meeting to take place it must be requested in writing by ten (10) members of the Board of Directions (ARTICLE X1X, Section 1.) Since one of the secretary’s responsibilities (ARTICLE XV11, Section 4) is to give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of the members and the Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribe by the Corporation. This was not done, a total violation of our constitution and by-laws.

This meeting that took place last Sunday, March 8, 2009 consisted of the following persons; and here is their status in NABO:
Wesley Lynch (director) has not been an active participant in NABO since January of 2008.
Ava Foster (director)
Roslyn Sealy (director)
Dale Husbands (director) had nothing to do with NABO since his organization seven (7) years ago told NABO Board of Directors to kiss their rear ends and walk out of a Board of Directors’ meeting.
Jeffrey Graig (non-financial director) has never participated in any NABO meeting

Cheryl Thompson (no longer a director, as she was replaced last month as President of her organization) has appointed herself to be NABO’s savior by scanning the NABO financial report and emailing it all over the world.

As you can clearly see, six (6) organizations do not and will not determine the fate of the NABO Executive Board which was, and I repeat, was constitutionally elected by 22 member organizations.

The directors and “others” have found the time to plan a “takeover”, assigning titles to themselves, because it the shortest, quickest and most dishonest way to avoid an election which is just 9 months away.

It is clear to us on the Executive Board that these few Board of Directors members do not have the interest of NABO at heart. They have set out on a destructive campaign by sending malicious emails including the financial report all over the world. Not only are their attempting to destroy NABO, but by the same token, they are besmirching people’s characters.

They have threatened to sabotage the conference in South Carolina and to withdraw their support. If you were to take a critical look at past conferences, you would have noticed that none of them have ever contributed in a meaningful or significant way – nor do we expect them to do so now. But this is reminder that the Executive Board of NABO is still intact and functioning; we will continue the work for which we were duly elected. The plans for another successful conference in Charleston, South Carolina from July 9 to 13, 2009 will continue.

The Executive Board
Earl A.Ashby

Please note that Mr. Craig did not participate in the vote as declared here, and everyone else had the constitutional right to vote.

Also, other organizations were clearly not mentioned who participated in the meeting. (See Attendee List).

When the webmaster, Mr. John Noel, changed the NABO website to reflect the decision made at the special meeting, Mr. Ashby commandeered the site, brought it down and replaced it with the unfinished New NABO website that was being developed. He improperly tore the existing site down in order to convince others that they still were in control of NABO. He also removed John Noel’s name from amongst the list of executives. He later put the name back after realizing that he did not have the power to remove an executive that he perceived to have gone against his wishes. Letters were sent to Mr. Ashby and the other deposed executives, advising them of the decisions made, and implored them to turn NABO’s property over to the Interim Chair as required by law. They have steadfastly refused to comply.

Chapter 617.0808 Removal of directors

(6) Any director removed from office shall turn over to the board of directors within 72 hours any and all records of the corporation in his or her possession.

(7) If a director who is removed shall not relinquish his or her office or turn over records as required under this section, the circuit court in the county where the corporation’s principal office is located may summarily order the director to relinquish his or her office and turn over corporate records upon application of any member.

Under these Florida Statutes, the only thing left to do to recover NABO’s property is to litigate. Who would want to drag Barbados’ name through the court system?

BACKGROUND

At present, there is no system of checks and balances or provision for oversight. Our demands for immediate accountability were rejected, and our insistence that NABO move forward with new leadership, transparency, and grace have been rejected. Although we (concerned Board Members) fully supported the concept of NABO, we believed that the organization could not continue to thrive with the layer of secrecy that existed. We concluded that we had a duty and obligation to ensure that there was transparency and fair dealing in all matters pertaining to the organization.

Some of the ousted executive members have continued to attack the character of the group of directors leading the charge. Indeed, this is the second time in as many months that I have personally and singlehandedly been attacked for having completed only two out of three years of law school. Since when did that become a crime, and what significance does it have in this or any other forum?

For those attackers who may be unaware of what it takes to get into a law school in this country… First of all, you have to be amongst the top of your undergraduate class and then you have to make a damn good score on your Law School Admissions Test to be even considered. Then, once you have made the short list from amongst thousands of applicants, you have to face the additional scrutiny of having to stand out head and shoulders above the rest who made the cut. And guess what? I made it!

I would like to make a call for this forum to insist that the bloggers force the ousted executives to deal with the issues at hand, the same issues that brought us here in the first place.

Every time they try to switch things back and get personal, steer them right back to the problems at hand.

We emerged as leaders, acting in good faith, and doing what responsible Board of Directors do when their organization steps out of line. All this mess could have been avoided if people’s hearts were in the right place!

Respectfully,

Cheryl Thompson
Interim Chairman

@David

Earl Ashby’s response to my request for a comment via face book:

Earl Ashby
April 2 at 3:44pm
Are you a reporter? Refresh my memory as to where we met. thanks

Adrian Hinds
April 2 at 4:10pm
No I am not a reporter in the traditional sense of the word and or term. I met you once between 1997 and 1998. I don’t remember that exact month or year. It was a saturday and it was some occasion at a house right on river street in Mattapan. All i can remember about the house was an extremly old refrigirator (still working) at the time. There was also another guy, very tall, name Andrew Hinds, that I met.

Adrian Hinds
April 2 at 8:12pm
So have you decided what action you and your executive should take to deal with this public display of accusations that have have cast NABO in a very bad light? Do you intend to act? Or in the least issue a public statement?

Adrian Hinds
April 3 at 10:41am
Is it usually this difficult to deal with “untrue accusations” doesn’t this public blood letting concerns you? How do you expect NABO to survive in the face of such a verbal unsluaght, without so much as an attempt to defend your name and that of NABO?

Earl Ashby
April 3 at 10:01pm
We will issue a public statement.

Cheryl on behalf of the BU family we thank you for the quick response.

As you can see from the Nation newspaper article above, this matter has hit the traditional press as well, even if a week late. NABO maybe passing the point of no return for resolution to this conflict. We urge all the players to look at the big picture, swallow pride, deflate puff-up egos, drain the testosterone and estrogen levels and come together in the interest of representing the yellow blue in the Diaspora.

If this matter goes to litigation who wins? The solution must be somewhere in between doing what you are doing now and the courts.

The problem as we see it is the need to establish ASAP the legal standing of the new Executive headed by Cheryl Thompson. Based on what we have read this should not require retaining a New York law firm to establish. What ever happens NABO WILL have to be rebranded.

A suggestion: we did a quick scan of the by-laws. As Cheryl alluded to in her submission above it would be with reluctance that she would advise this matter to go to litigation. Why not vote for an amendment to the by-laws? To appoint a mediator (criteria can be based on accepted practice) to intervene in matters of unresolved conflict before going to court?

The issue is specific. At core cause for this controversy is the 2008 conference, which was planned and organized by the “Collaborative Committe” This committee has a chairman, this chairman, for the purpose of the 2008 conference also functioned as the treasurer. This person is Michael Cummins.

@Cheryl Thompson, you asked;
Under these Florida Statutes, the only thing left to do to recover NABO’s property is to litigate. Who would want to drag Barbados’ name through the court system?

IT WOULD SEEM THAT EARL ASHBY IS SO WILLING. His name is being sullied, and that appears to be more important than Barbados name, and answering and addressing legitimate questions and concerns

@Earl Ashby
It is time for you to demand of the collaborative committee chair, that they respond.

Tony Best has quoted you to have said “NABO IS DEAD” “I have Hired a Lawyer” “This thing can go to court”. Are these correct statements? Did you speak to Tony Best?
If NABO is dead why are you holding out and not demitting office? Why have you hired a Lawyer? Is it because you think you have have been defamed or libeled? or is it to prepare for a judicial challenge per the state laws of Florida? If you think you have been libel, the burden to prove as such could be on you, and any defense lawyer worth their fees, should carry out a “Discovery Interrogatory” on you where you would have to answer all questions under oath. You can bet that some of those questions would be the ones that the Interim chair, and other member organizations are asking, and for which no answers are forthcoming.

I don’t think you want to go that route. your best option is to resign, I can’t see how you can win against a NABO member initiated legal request to have you demit office.