GREAT BAY--Members of the Workers Institute for Organized Labour Association, WIFOL, have launched an open solicitation process connected to the election of a new board after President Theophilus Emanuel Thompson and the board operating under his leadership failed to convene a Special General Meeting formally requested by the membership.
The latest action follows a May 7, 2026 letter signed by at least ten ordinary members, who invoked Article 10 of WIFOL’s Articles of Incorporation and requested that the board call a Special General Meeting within two weeks. This never happened.
The proposed meeting was intended to address two main agenda items: the election of board members and a review of WIFOL’s current operations, including the presentation and examination of all financial statements.
The members advised the board that Article 10(6) permits them to convene the meeting themselves if the board fails to honour a properly submitted request within the two-week period. According to the members, no meeting was called within that timeframe, prompting them to begin taking steps independently, including the current open solicitation process.
An addendum submitted on May 11 clarified that the request was supported by ten legitimate signatures representing WIFOL members employed at Iron Shore Management and Oyster Bay Resort.
The May correspondence followed a formal notice dated March 25, 2026, in which members accused Thompson and the existing leadership of prolonged breaches of the association’s Articles of Incorporation.
Among the central concerns raised was the alleged failure to hold an annual general meeting for more than ten years. The members stated that Article 10 requires at least one general meeting each year, no later than the first working day of June.
According to the members, the annual meeting must include a report from the board on the association’s affairs and management, the presentation and approval of financial statements, a report from an independent Audit Committee, the filling of vacancies on the board and the appointment of a new Audit Committee.
The members contend that these obligations have not been fulfilled, denying the membership access to financial reports and the opportunity to scrutinise the management and governance of the association.
article continues below...
They also raised concerns about the absence of board elections. Article 12 reportedly provides that board members are elected by the general membership for a period of two years, with the possibility of re-election.
The members stated that records from the last amendment to WIFOL’s Articles of Incorporation indicate that Thompson was elected to the board during a general meeting held on November 14, 2013. Based on the two-year term established in the articles, they argue that the mandate expired in November 2015.
No subsequent general meeting has been held to elect a new board, according to the members. They therefore question the constitutional authority of the individuals who have continued to exercise control over WIFOL’s affairs.
The members further pointed to Article 13, which provides that the president is elected by the general meeting and that other board functions are distributed among board members by mutual agreement. They contend that without a properly convened general meeting and board election, no valid election of a president or distribution of board functions could have taken place since 2013.
Financial accountability also remains a major concern. The members have requested complete financial records covering the period since Thompson reportedly assumed the presidency in or about 1985, with specific emphasis on the years from November 2013 to the present.
The requested documentation includes annual financial statements, income and expenditure records, bank statements, audit reports where available and all other records connected to the management of WIFOL’s funds.
In their March notice, the members demanded the announcement of a general meeting, the establishment of a transparent electoral process, a written explanation for the failure to hold meetings and elections, the presentation of verified and audited financial statements and written confirmation that the association’s leadership would comply with its Articles of Incorporation.
They warned that continued inaction could result in legal and institutional action, including complaints to labour authorities and regulatory bodies. They also reserved their right to independently convene a general meeting under Article 10(6).
Copies of the formal notice were submitted to the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Richinel Brug, and the Government Mediator.
The open solicitation now underway represents the members’ next step toward organising an electoral process, restoring membership participation and establishing a board with a current mandate. The members maintain that WIFOL must be governed through regular meetings, transparent elections, proper financial reporting and direct accountability to the workers it represents.
The internal dispute has also been brought before the Public Prosecutor’s Office. On May 21, WIFOL co-founder and lifetime honorary member René Richardson filed a criminal complaint against Thompson on behalf of concerned members and workers. The complaint alleges possible wrongdoing connected to the association’s management, finances, assets, governance and general functioning.
According to Richardson, the complaint consists of a three-page letter supported by nearly 50 pages of documentation and signatures from members. He said the filing followed approximately one and a half to two years of unsuccessful attempts to have Thompson convene meetings, respond to written correspondence and account to the membership.
The concerns submitted to the prosecutor reportedly include the absence of documented general meetings since November 2013, the lack of financial reporting, questions surrounding WIFOL’s building and its rental income, and the continued deduction of membership fees from workers’ salaries without adequate communication or accountability.
Richardson said the complaint was filed to protect the association, its workers, property, finances and legacy, rather than as a personal dispute with Thompson. He maintained that the supporting records were submitted to demonstrate that the allegations were based on documentation and repeated efforts to resolve the issues internally. The allegations have not been tested in court, and no determination of criminal wrongdoing has been announced.
