Bowls chief offers help

BOWLS GUERNSEY supports the move for a joint organisation to run affairs for Sarnian involvement at the Island and Commonwealth Games. Moves over a possible merger have all but stalled, but Bowls Guernsey chief executive Garry Collins is still hopeful it will happen and is suggesting a new way forward.

'I am currently writing a small report for the Guernsey Indoor Bowling Association to suggest to the Island Games they create a sub-committee, including some of the executive and delegates, to forward the project.

Collins has long supported the idea of a merger.

He does not want to see it fall by the wayside and suggests Owen Le Vallee, the man behind the idea, chair a joint sub-committee.

'I would suggest these two sub-committees work together as one and start working on it. I would also suggest the appointment of a non-executive member to be the secretary or the development officer of this sub-committee, so neither body has extra work.'

He feels strongly enough on the issue that he has offered his own services to be that secretary or project development officer.

Collins, one of the most dynamic of a band of new, relatively young administrators involved in Guernsey sport, also backs Le Vallee on his call for a meeting of all the relevant secretaries and presidents, to discuss the matter.

Le Vallee has been critical of the lack of direction shown by the executive of both the IGA and CWGA committees.

'Sports associations members should have had their presidents and secretaries called to a meeting where the executive could have gone over the proposal and the sports could have considered it if they wanted to proceed with it,' said Le Vallee last week.

Collins is adamant it should happen.

'I am young and I appreciate that I am new at all this, but I attend the meetings to benefit my sport.

'This move will benefit it, so I support it.'