Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Blue or Red Pill? XVI

Funny how sometimes things seem to come full circle. It started - at least it started for the S&BC Blog - with a failure to draw any kind of line between a public role and private activity. It ended with the announcement of a "position" which was felt to be "incompatible" with being El Presidente of the English Chess Federation. So it might have been a long and rocky road, but at least it's one that seems to have led to a deeper understanding of the phrase 'conflict of interest'. Small mercies, my friends, small mercies.





Before we put this episode to bed, though, let's join Phil piggy backing on Joey Stewart's Time Changer thread on the EC Forum and consider what might have been. Could it have all worked out differently?

What if ... well, what the ECF as a body had voiced some concerns right at the start? What if they'd said something like,

"Look CJ old boy, we're sure you don't mean anything by it, but if you're going to run a private event that you say is nothing to do with the Federation it's probably as well that you don't begin the invitation with, 'English Chess Federation President, CJ de Mooi, cordially ....'  It's not that we think you're up to no good you understand, it's just that if you have a public position, and especially if you're raising funds for a public event, accounts and accountability are, like, really cool yeah?"

What then?


It would have made toss all difference.





We'd all still be living happily ever after.



The choice, as ever, is yours.



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2 comments:

ejh said...

So.
Farewell then CJ de Mooi.
You never won the Grand Prix
But you have disappeared at top speed into the distance.
But although you were an Egghead
It is your supporters
Who have egg
On their faces.

(by EJ Horton, aged 47 1/2)

Jon H said...

Good riddance. Nuf said.