‘Building up NMASA treasury good in case…’

Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Mike White recently informed all members of the current financial status of the sports body, indicating that building up the treasury would pay dividends with regards to NMASA participating in future international competitions.

During last Thursday’s monthly meeting at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium conference room, White informed all in attendance that NMASA currently has about $84,000 in its coffers.

He said NMASA accepts proposals from members who are in need of financial assistance for various events such as off-island clinics for coaches and officials. He, however, clarified that there is no guarantee of financial assistance since the proposal will still have to be reviewed by the board.

Meanwhile, White explained a personal view that sustaining the fund and building it may be positive in a way because it could be used in the future to shoulder the costs of delegations participating in international competitions such as the South Pacific Games and the Micronesian Games. That is in case that the government would not be able to assist NMASA to raise the funding.

“I would assume, and part of my idea in trying to get the treasury build up, is that there will still be funds available to subsidize travel if the government doesn’t appropriate money,” he said. “That’s one of the reason I want to build up the treasury. My own view that’ the principle view of the fund is fall back in case the government doesn’t appropriate money.”

Meanwhile, White disclosed that during a special board meeting last Oct. 20, the board agreed to install several principles regarding how much each athlete should contribute toward the total cost of their participation in international competition.

“Everybody should be required at the start to pay 100 percent cost of their participation; there will be a rebate of some percentage of the cost if the government contributes to the cost; that percentage should be fixed; and these policies should be presented to the general membership and adopted as a by-law in NMASA,” he said

White, however, said the board did not decide on what the fixed percentage will be.

“One thing the board did not do is decide on the actual percentage that we’re going to have to contribute if there is government funding for a trip,” he said.

White also disclosed that each participant who took part in the trip to Fiji SPG wounded up paying about 40 percent of the total cost, while those who competed in this year’s Palau South Pacific Mini Games had to shoulder about 28 to 30 percent of the cost.

“So something in there, I’m guessing, is where we’re likely to come out,” he said. “[But] there will be some definite rules and they will be in place before we have to travel off island for the next competition.”

White added that many of the participants are eager to know in advance the cost of their expenses.

Determining the cost, however, is not an easy task as tennis representative Jeff Race reiterated that government funding is usually provided “until two to three weeks before we go so we never know.”

White promised the members that before the board takes any final recommendation, all will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the matter.