South African Closed

They have some funny names here for the SA Closed. The preliminary rounds are called the Contenders and the Candidates, for reasons which I only find confusing. Regardless, the dang thing is on as I type...

Hang on...
Breaking News...
The South African Go Association will have an AGM...

From an email from the SAGA President (just received):

"Dear SAGA members,

"The AGM of the South African Go Association will be held on Saturday 10th September 2005. See attached notice for details.

"The AGM was originally due to be held earlier this year but it was postponed for the following reasons.

"1. In order to be able to call for nominations for the vacancy on council caused by the death of Kagiso Mampe who died soon after the original closing date for nominations.

"2. To propose some amendments to the constitution in order to eliminate certain inconsistencies which were discovered at that time.

"Thanks mainly to the efforts of Leander Gaum, Steve Kroon and Konrad Scheffler the proposed amendments have been formulated and are contained in attached Appendix B.

"All the recommended amendments have been grouped together in Proposal No.1 for consideration as a whole. In the first instance you are asked either to accept or reject this proposal. If you reject proposal No.1 then you are asked to consider and vote for each of proposals numbered 2 to 10 by completing the ballot form (Appendix D). The form should be returned by email, post or hand to reach Leander at least a day or two before the AGM but the sooner the better.

"As far as the nomination of candidates for election to council is concerned the situation has changed considerably. I have decided to resign from council with effect from the AGM which means that together with the position vacated by Kagiso the number of vacancies has increased from the original three to five. In addition Leander has withdrawn his nomination leaving three nominees of the four that had originally been accepted.

"Since SAGA is a democratic organization the authority of the council is derived from the members of SAGA through the electoral process. The first part of that process, and perhaps the most important, is the nomination of candidates for election to council. Nominations will be accepted until the cut off date of July 30th (see attached nomination form Appendix C).

"Also attached is a list of SAGA members since 2003. Only current members are eligible to vote."

It seems that the administration (The correct phrase (in terms of aims) would be governance, but I will not be governed in the playing of a game. You do not rule me. I approach all social associations in terms of express and alterable consent, which I am able to do, unlike in the economic or political realms where, at best, I am forced to engage power structures in terms of hypothetical consent, which, by the way, is worth the paper it is written on) of SA go is about to undergo some fundamental changes.

(I'm listening to a Tim Wise lecture at the moment, funny but true)

Organisations need moments of change, including drastic change. It is healthy, some much so that change should be welcomed and embraced, for it allows new ideas and energy. Of course, that fresh energy and ideas will eventually become static as the new practices and paradigms transform into the unthinking 'just-the-way-we-do-things'. Advocates of change become to be seen as threats and are then attacked, usually with great viciousness. Why? Because they are seeking to replace existing power structures, they are threatening the very existence of those power structures. Yet, this conflict is necessary if the organisation, as a whole, is to survive.

The longer an organisation manages to stay static and resist change, that organisation will run an increasing risk to being unable to adapt to changing circumstances. Same thing happens to social practices that become ritual and ingrained tradition; stay still long enough, and you (or your organisation or society) will become the rabbit trapped by headlights. Don't be the rabbit.

SAGA administration is about to experience a wholesale change, and that is no bad thing, whatever happens. But what, it might be asked, happens if SAGA administration doesn't survive this period of change or mucks it up? What if SAGA collapses and ceases to function, even at a survival level?

Big deal. If SAGA can't make it through this period of change, we're all better off without it.

Anyway, I'm playing in tomorrow's round. Wish me luck for I'll need it.