To all members of the NSWBA

The purpose of this notice is to advise my intent to stand for the position of Chairman of the NSWBA at the 2002 AGM. It is only fair that my beliefs about the NSWBA and its possible future, if I were to be elected, be made clear before the AGM.

I served on the council from Aug 1995 to Apr 2002 – the last 16 months as Chairman and resigned to move to Japan for work. I will be in Japan from Dec 27 until Jan 15 and it is possible that there will be a need for me to return for other short periods in 2003. Much of council business is resolved via email/phone so this should not cause major problems.

As a result of my time on council I am well aware of the NSWBA’s workings and its financials. There is no doubt that recent years accounts have not been brilliant. There are many reasons for this,

·        Parking is scarcer and more expensive,

·        There are many more clubs in Sydney than there used to be.

·        The progression of players from other clubs through to the NSWBA does not happen as freely as it used to.

Regrettably, whilst Monday Night maintains adequate attendance, the NSWBA is not able to fully offer all the services that the weekly duplicate player desires. This is evidenced by the slow and steady decline in table numbers over recent years.

If this situation is to be turned around it will take effort from both Council and members of the NSWBA. If elected I will certainly be putting the effort in to make things better at the NSWBA. I believe that our current premises with their central location and the capacity to accommodate major events is good for bridge in NSW.

However, it is possible that we may not be able to achieve the desired turnaround. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that if our expenses are greater than our income we can not go on as we are forever.

However, Council must recognise realities and act in the best interests of the Association, notwithstanding that relocating our operations (should it be necessary) may run counter to the personal preferences of some players. That is, if the desired turnaround is not achieved I would not be against moving NSWBA operations from their current address.

Keiran Crowe-Mai