PHILIPSBURG--Theophilus Thompson is no longer president of the Workers Institute for Organized Labour Association (WIFOL) following a congress held at the WIFOL building on Thursday, September 17, during which members elected a new executive board.
Retiree and businessman Joanice David Richardson was elected president. Elton Jones and Ashma Berkel were elected as board members.
The new executive board will decide who will serve as secretary and treasurer in accordance with the Constitution of WIFOL. The new executive board can also hold another congress to expand the board.
Thursday’s congress had been convened by 10 ordinary WIFOL members to address the affairs and management of the association, including its financial statements, board vacancies and the appointment of board members.
The members exercised their right under Article 10, paragraph 6 of WIFOL’s Articles of Incorporation to convene the meeting themselves after the former Board and former president did not honour a written request submitted on May 7, 2026, signed by at least 10 ordinary members, within the two-week period prescribed by the Articles.
According to the information provided ahead of the congress, the agenda included a report from the Board on the course of events, affairs, developments and management of the Association, presentation of financial statements for approval, a report from the Audit Committee, the filling of Board vacancies and the appointment of Board members.
Only ordinary members were entitled to vote at a General Meeting, with each ordinary member holding one vote.
A licensed court bailiff formally served Thompson on August 25 with a letter dated August 21 on their behalf. Thompson had held the position of president of the Association’s Board since his election at the General Meeting of November 14, 2013.
The letter required Thompson to attend the September 17 congress and present and account for matters listed in Article 10, paragraph 1 of the Articles of Incorporation. These included a report on the Board’s conduct and the Association’s affairs, financial statements, the Audit Committee’s report, the filling of Board vacancies and the appointment of a new Audit Committee.
These statutory obligations had gone unfulfilled for more than 10 years and Thompson’s electoral mandate as president expired no later than November 2015 under Article 12, paragraph 4 of the Articles of Incorporation.
The members had stated at the time that further stated that the prolonged absence of a general meeting since 2013 had denied the membership visibility into the Association’s finances for more than a decade.
A separate formal request for an investigation into WIFOL’s leadership and financial governance was submitted on May 22, 2026, according to an earlier statement by the members in August. The request reportedly referenced potential grounds including embezzlement, fraudulent misrepresentation and abuse of power. The statement explicitly said those allegations were unproven and remained subject to investigation, with no findings or determinations having been made. The September 17 congress was convened to ensure that members’ voices were heard and that the affairs of the Association continued to be conducted in accordance with its governing documents.
