The Co-operative Credit Union League has condemned the actions of some of the members of the Works Credit Union Co-operative at a special general meeting of the organisation on Friday, describing them as unfortunate.

In a release, the league said based on its observations at the meeting, “a group of members of the credit union, which unfortunately included past presidents and serving officers of the credit union engaged in a course of conduct which can only be described as unfortunate and reflected a total disregard for the governance standards, codes and best practices of the movement.”

It noted that the conduct took place in the presence of representatives of the office of the Commissioner for Co-operative Development.

The release said, as the national umbrella organisation for credit unions in TT, the league considered that the actions of the members had the potential to encourage misconduct, a disregard for law and order, and to disrupt a legitimately scheduled special general meeting of the credit union called to treat with critical matters affecting the credit union.

The league said it condemned the “verbal and seemingly personal attack on the meeting’s chairman and other members of the head table.

"We also reject what we consider to be inappropriate statements towards the representatives of the office of the commissioner by some members at the meeting.”

The league called on the regulator, the line minister, and the commissioner to ensure that the representatives assigned to annual general meetings of credit unions are adequately trained in parliamentary procedure and can offer appropriate guidance, particularly at meetings that may be tense and emotive.

“In that regard, we were constrained to question with ourselves some of the advice proffered by the representatives of the office of the commissioner to the chairman at the meeting, which was belatedly withdrawn. We can only speculate whether the degree of uncertainty created by same contributed to the subsequent tone of the meeting.”

Speaking to Newsday on Monday, members of Works Credit Union said the special general meeting was requested because members were concerned that the credit union may have been functioning without a complete board and without an approved budget.

They said tempers flared when members did not receive answers to their questions on the issues, and one member lunged at the chairman. The incident is now being investigated by the police.

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