Powerlifters ready for poll

Date: 11-08-2004 Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamBahamas

Whoever is successful this Saturday will have a tenure of two years as opposed to four, and incumbent president Rex Burnside said that if he was re-elected, he might even cut that in half.

The Bahamas Powerlifting Federation's (BPF) presidential elections are set for this Saturday at Vonnie's Gym on Robinson Road at 6:00 pm. Spots for president, vice president, secretary and treasurer will be up for grabs, and all other positions will be on appointment from the incoming president.

Initially, Burnside said, he did not plan on running again, but was coerced by members of the federation and some of the athletes. "As a matter of fact, some of them (athletes and members) had threatened to quit the federation if I didn't run for the president seat again," Burnside said. "I made a deal and I said if I run and am successful, I don't think I would sit the fill term out, but they have a way of twisting my arm. When you have been around a group of people which is 99 and a half per cent great competitors, it's not easy to walk away from them just like that. I have really enjoyed working with all the members of the executive board. We didn't agree on everything, but it was a great board to work with."

Last year, the federation amended its constitution so as to prevent athletes from running for any of the elected positions, and also to reduce the time in office from four years to two years per term. "Four years is a long time for a small federation like ours. A lot of people including myself thought it was too long," Burnside said. "However, I feel good to see that the officials and the athletes really appreciate the work that I have done over the years. They will like to see me stay even if I don't stay the full time."

Burnside was involved in powerlifting since 1985 when he served as chairman of the defunct Bahamas Bodybuilding, Weightlifting and Powerlifting Federation. He later served as president before the federation was dismantled in 1999. The following year, the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation and the BPF were formed. Burnside was elected president, and has been at the helm for the duration of the BPF's first term of existence.

"I can't say that I am excited. I've been in the driver's seat for a long time and I am not really excited about running. One of the reasons why I ran for president in the first place was to get powerlifters more exposure on the international scene, because they really weren't getting it," Burnside said. "I was successful in becoming the first president, and powerlifting began to shoot off. The following year, I was able to send Kevin Woodside to the World Championships where he won the first world medal for The Bahamas and the first of three for him and the country. From there, we were on the way up and powerlifting is continuing to grow and grow."

Saturday, positions will be open to all financial members of the federation who have been in good standing for at least six months as long as they are not athletes. Nominations and elections will be held on the same night.

Burnside said that there were a number of programmes on the table right now, and at the top of the list is the junior programme, which is promised to bring to fruition a junior national championship.

"I told them that, whoever is elected president, the incoming board will have to continue to carry out those programmes that we established, and I will always be there to offer my assistance," Burnside said. "Some of the current members told me that they are not willing to serve any longer in their positions. That means, come the night of the elections, we will see some new faces."