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Email from Fay Doyle

What follows is correspondence over an incident concerning the Jacques Cochonnet challenges.

This is the original email from Fay Doyle (President WPA), which was sent to all regional clubs in the Wellington district. I (Tom) placed this email on our MPC for our members to read. Fay strongly objected to this - see second email below.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Jacques Cochonnet Petanque Cup

From Fay Doyle: "Hi everyone;

It has become apparent that some clubs are having difficulty in agreeing to a date for playing Jacques Cochonnet challenges.

Therefore the executive has decided to put all matches on hold until a meeting can be held to review the current rules which have become 'fudged' over time. It is likely the meeting will be held early next year.

It is disappointing to have to take this step and I hope clubs will come to the meeting with a positive attitude towards solving the problems that have arisen.

Sincerely

Fay Doyle

WPA President

(I placed the above email onto our MPC Blog page, and below you can read Fay's reaction to this)

My reply:

Hi Fay,

Please note that this is an issue that concerns us, the MPC. This is our MPC Blog. Your email is all over the Wellington region. I have every right to publish material that people email to me. I have every right to inform our members and the wider Petanque community about what is happening to their club and their game. Already one of our members has resigned as a result of the actions taken by WPA over this issue. I would appreciate it if you could answer the questions I emailed you earlier. Regards, Tom.

All of this shows that a number of people do not really understand this electronic medium. It is important to understand that almost everything is now digital and therefore instantly accessible and able to be passed on. I received for instance three copies of Fay's email from three different people. It is perfectly proper for me to publish emails of a general nature, as long as I do not claim it as my own. I most certainly do not need permission.

The moral of all this is that it pays to make sure that whatever you write is proper and will not come back to bite or embarrass you. If in doubt, don't do it.

In time, this Wiki will help bring about more accountability. Gone are the days of operating behind closed doors - good news all around. -Tom.

With regards to the Minutes of Special Meeting The folowing is interesting:

"Fay said she took full responsibility for putting the challenges on hold as she felt it would give clubs "time out" but this had not happened – hence the special meeting. Fay also apologised if she made a wrong decision but she had had the best interests of the WPA at heart."

"Fay also apologised if she made a wrong decision" (should this read: "Fay also apologised for making the wrong decision").

No one doubts that Fay meant well, but what does she mean by:

"she felt it would give clubs time out".

Time out from what? Clubs were still negotiating. What is in question here is whether Fay acted by herself, with others or under instruction from others. If she acted by herself, she clearly misused her position. My feeling is that Fay was under instruction, and now feels that she should take the blame out of misplaced loyalty and to protect others. All very sad. -Tom.

Update 05/01/07: Fay, Khandallah and the WPA's involvement is still shrouded in a thick fog brought about by what seems like a severe closing of ranks weather event. Still waiting for answers to these questions -Tom.