Stanley wants to break the ice

Another episode in the serial drama between former President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association (SVGTTA) Sean Stanley and the Association’s current Executive has been written.

A situation rife with the possibility of a verbal smack down has quickly evolved into the calling of a truce.{{more}}

In a dramatic turn of events, Stanley has written to the Association’s Secretary Paul Velox, seeking to be part, once again, of the national Table Tennis set up.

But Stanley’s request is in the hands of the Executive of the SVGTTA.

President of the Association, Alonzo Primus, told SEARCHLIGHT last Monday morning that he has received a copy of Stanley’s letter. However, a decision will be made when next the national administrative body of Table Tennis meets.

In his latest letter, dated April 8, 2009, addressed to Velox and copied to the other executive members, Stanley wrote: “Please be advised that I am NOT in war with the SVG Table Tennis Association. Therefore, I wish to have the notion that the Association has against me thrown out the window.” “If there is any ice, let us break it”, Stanley humbly added.

“I am, therefore, offering myself to assist your organisation in directing your programs and tournaments so that we can take the game to a higher level and give the young people in our blessed country every opportunity that is available to them in Table Tennis,” the former President wrote to Velox.

Stanley, in previous correspondence, accused the Association’s Executive of being spiteful to the members of his Table Tennis Academy, by not sending a team to the first Caribbean Under-16 Championship held in St. Kitts/Nevis last weekend.

Velox and his assistant Elliot Charles have vehemently denied this charge.

“The young players I referred to in my previous letter to you are all eagerly awaiting whatever tournaments, whether locally, regionally or internationally, and any other opportunities available to them internationally. Those who are members of my academy, I always advise them to take part in the Association’s tournaments and trials in order to be selected for national duty”, Stanley also wrote.

Referring to the establishment of his academy, Stanley said: “ I am building a massive nursery for the sport of Table Tennis and you now have to come up with your programs and calendar of events so some of these players could train in preparation for the events on your calendar”.

When Stanley resigned his post as President on December 31, 2007, he then stated: “The time has come for me to take a break so I can re-organise my personal life, because there is life after sports”.