Trinidad and Tobago Basketball Federation vice-president resigns, criticises leadership

National Basketball Federation of TT (NBFTT) vice-president of organisation and development Daron Lall has resigned.

A letter he sent to NBFTT president Jason Hills and other executive members on August 10 cited eight reasons for his decision to step down, among them: “a lack of effective leadership, selective authority and inept handling of disciplinary matters.”

Lall took office in January 2023 and is the fourth of seven elected officers to have resigned. Since their appointment Nadine Khan (general secretary), Kieron McDougall (vice- president finance) and Alexis Browne (vice-president marketing) have all stepped down.

Lall’s letter said over the past 18 months, he “endeavoured to contribute to the advancement” of basketball but “unfortunately, ongoing internal discord, administrative inertia and disregard for our governing constitution have hindered our collective progress.”

He said the decision to resign came after careful consideration, as he found himself “unable to effectively execute my duties due to the NBFTT’s values and activities being inconsistent with my personal values. I believe this action is in the best interest of both myself and the organisation.”

His concerns outlined “a pervasive absence of leadership within the organisation” which resulted in “why this country missed out on an opportunity to qualify in the Paris Olympics 2024.”

He addedt, “Decisions have been made in a biased manner, such as registering the male 3x3 team for AmeriCup while neglecting the female 3x3 team. Meetings are frequently rescheduled to suit a few individuals, resulting in the illegal reconvening of meetings that were never properly convened.”

Last year, NBFTT did not register the TT men’s and women’s teams for the 2023 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup.

The NBFTT said it was unable to pay the US$1,500 per team registration fee for the AmeriCup because it was unable to access the organisation’s accounts.

Lall also said there has been consistent misuse of the constitution and policies, along with reliance on outdated procedures, such as the sanctioning process, which was only valid for six months.

His letter continued, “There is a failure to address disciplinary issues promptly, evidenced by the conditional reinstatement of members. Repeated conflicts of interest are simply noted in meetings without adequate action.”

“Good governance principles are often disregarded, with internal obstacles impeding project execution.

Lall said the most egregious example was the lack of recognition for the bronze-medal-winning Pan Am men’s 3x3 team, despite efforts by some board members to allocate funding for their acknowledgment.

He closed by saying he was “grateful for the opportunity to have served” and remains “committed to making the transition process as smooth as possible.”