Rowena Williams' decision to contest the post of president of the T&T Cycling Federation (TTCF) this time around came as a result of desperation on the part of the sport's membership.
Williams who boasts of a successful term back in 2010-2014 told Guardian Media Sports on Wednesday that: "The decision was made at the very last moment because people have been literally pleading with me for a change in the leadership."
If Williams, a member of the super-committed 'Chapman' cycling family is elected at the virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Election of Officers on January 30, she will have to deal with the scourge of disenchantment, to which she was also a victim.
Williams, who has been involved in the sport all her life, revealed that she was so disenchanted that she took up an administrative position at the T&T Body Building Federation.
Williams, who currently holds the position of Racing Secretary in the TTCF, admitted that one of her biggest challenge if she is elected to lead the organisation, will be to clear a reported $2 million debt, that was wracked up at the Pan American Elite Cycling Championship at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) in Balmain Couva in 2017.
She said: "People pleading to see change. They want to see a federation that is vibrant and active again. They want to see proper governance, especially in the area of accountability, because the financial status of the federation is still unknown."
She stated further: "People are only hearing that the federation is in debt or the federation has no money, but to date, there has been no explanation of how we have reached to that point and who should be held accountable."
This disenchantment in the sport stemmed from the last four years, starting under former president Robert Farrier who resigned in July of 2019 due to increased workload at his job, to Larry Romany, a former T&T Olympic Committee president and football chairman who took over soon after. However, four months into the job Romany sighted similar reasons and resigned.
Williams, a resident of Couva, said that the lack of interest among the membership continued under the incumbent president Joseph Roberts. She dismissed claims by Roberts in a newspaper report that his work last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic will speak for itself, saying she cannot say or see what he has done.
Roberts on Tuesday boasted of the implementation of a virtual cycling event last year and said his federation will have to be innovative if he is returned as president.
She also promised to deal with an issue in which the TTCF took legal action against some of its cyclists - Njisane Phillip and Keron Bramble, for wheels taken without the TTCF permission, saying she did not agree with the manner in which the cycling federation handled the issue.
Williams slate has been riding on the theme by the T&T Olympic Committee 'Future is Female' and includes Rowena Williams (president), Cheril Ann Mc Donald (General Secretary), Patricia Le Blanc (Asst General Secretary), Claire Ann Lewis (VP Finance), Recina Leotaud (Treasurer), Desmond Roberts (VP Racing), Claire Orr (Racing Secretary), Dahlia Maria Lopez (Assistant Racing Secretary) and Dawn Scott (Public Relation Officer) seeking control of the TTCF for the next four-year term.
Nominations have been submitted for all ten positions which comprise - president, general secretary, three vice presidents, racing secretary and assistant racing secretary, assistant general secretary, treasurer and public relations officer (PRO).