Caribbean Chess Union

Working towards a Caribbean Chess Union
By Errol Tiwari August 22, 2010 in Features

The FIDE elections seem to be galloping towards a spectacular finish as we observe the two candidates for President, the incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Anatoly Karpov campaigning through the Caribbean and the world, to make an impact upon voter countries. Each country has one vote and FIDE comprises 165 member nations.

Guyana, I believe, is the latest country to join the FIDE family of nations, as we only became a member in January of this year.

But we are still entitled to vote in the FIDE elections, in keeping with the one country, one vote policy, of the World Chess Federation. For several years there have been complaints and laments about small federations having the same say and the same one vote at the FIDE Congress.

Some of the more developed countries and the ones with large populations are of the view that there is some injustice in this. But the universal criterion of one country, one vote, still applies. Small federations embrace this current system, because they would continue to stand on the same platform as the other powerful nations of the world.

The chess federations of Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherland Antilles and Suriname have signed an agreement calling for the creation of a Caribbean Chess Union (CCU) to represent the region in negotiations in the international arena among the powerful chess-playing nations. A larger meeting of Caribbean federations to discuss policy for a CCU is being organised. This initiative by Guyana resulted from the fact that for the FIDE elections, each chess-playing nation within the region is compelled to negotiate for benefits on its own behalf. With a CCU, we can speak with a unified voice for our bloc of votes, and negotiate from a position of strength. As it stands now, we are fragmented, and certainly, would not have a great impact during our negotiations as individuals.

In a regional body also, we can attract strong international sponsorship for tournaments within the Caribbean. For example, the CCU would ensure greater transparency with sponsorship funds, and its accounts department would have full responsibility for funds coming in and going out.

One of Guyana’s premier chessplayers, Taffin Khan, is currently representing the nation in chess in Trinidad and Tobago. Taffin’s results have been fair so far at the midway stage of the tournament, and his full results will be made public when he returns.

Tournament Director Irshad Mohamed is also in Trinidad doing service as the Deputy Arbiter at the Umada Cup. Irshad is seeking his second arbiter norm in Trinidad. He obtained his first at the FIDE-rated tournament which was held in Guyana in July. Irshad hopes to achieve his third and final norm at our National Chess Championships which would be FIDE-rated, and which are scheduled for October-November of this year.

Here is the full article.