[Assam] Surplus from Houston

[Kedar Bhuyan]

 

Dear Dilip:

         Your emails regarding surplus drew quite a bit of attention in many quarters of Assamese community across USA. I am not a member of Assam net, so I did not have the opportunity to read your emails in real time. But there is so much interest about the comments you made that some very respected community members have forwarded your emails to me and personally called me and discussed about it.

 

                  20^th Assam Convention/26^th Assam Day was held in Houston long time ago. Your memory regarding that may be getting a little bit fogy by now. The surplus from Houston was not given to Cherry Hill organizers as seed money as you have suggested. In stead the surplus (you said $2200) was in fact given to AFNA. Chairperson of Houston verbally told me at that time that the surplus amount was given to AFNA to administer for the benefit of future Assam Conferences. It was not a donation to AFNA. The surplus was for the sole use of future Assam Conferences.

 

            Out of this Houston surplus AFNA loaned $2000.00 to Cherry Hill organizers. I was a director of AFNA during that time. Per AFNA President�s email to the Board of AFNA Directors (attached here as ready reference) Cherry Hill organizers repaid $1500.00 to AFNA with $500.00 remained unpaid. Cherry Hill could not return remaining $500.00 because there was no more fund left.

 

AFNA had rejected Toronto�s request for fund from Houston surplus amount. Similarly Denver also did not get any money from this Houston surplus amount. Hence balance of the Houston Surplus is still with AFNA. Surplus from Toronto was directly given (not a loan) to Denver. Similarly Denver is also directly given (not a loan) the surplus to St. Louis.

                         

            Now instead of looking backward I would like to look forward for a brighter future and better co- operation from the entire Assamese community. Joint conferences     of all Assamese organizations are still evolving. There are lots of areas that need stream lining. Surplus or deficit is one such area. I think that the surplus from Assam 2003 or beyond should directly go to the next year�s organizing committee. Any surplus fund should not be used or diverted for any other purposes. Our community leaders should openly discuss these matters in St. Louis and find out where lies the consensus.

           

So far we have only discussed about the surplus. What about the deficit? Who

is responsible for any deficit? Suppose there is a big deficit at St. Louis and then is the Chairman personally responsible or liable? Or entire organizing committee is jointly and severally responsible? If they are not responsible, who is? Unless we openly discuss these matters and come to a consensus, in the future very few people will be coming forward to take this responsibility. Organizing Assam Conference is a thankless job with no material upside, whereas it potentially carries a huge personal liability. This is one the reasons that now a days people are very reluctant to take that responsibility.

 

             

            Thanks.

            With best regards

             Kedar Bhuyan

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AFNA Presidents email.doc
Description: AFNA Presidents email.doc