Jamaica Volleyball Association President, Jacqueline Cowan, was re-elected as the General Secretary on the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) board. She was selected during the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association’s (CAZOVA) Electoral Congress held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Sunday.

Trinidad and Tobago's Mushtaque Mohammed was also re-elected president during the electoral congress, which determined the new board to guide CAZOVA until 2027.

Other members of the newly appointed CAZOVA Board are Kennedy McGowan, First Vice-President (Cayman Islands), Gisette Emer, Second Vice-President (Bonaire), Kurtwood Greene Snr, Treasurer (Bahamas), Filomena Daniel-Curiel, Board Member (Aruba), and Mark Lewis, Board Member (Barbados) a former Jamaica Indoor and Beach Volleyball National
Representative now residing in Barbados.

Philippe Lirus, Honorary Board Member (Martinique) and Daymian Stewart, Executive Director (Trinidad and Tobago), also secured slots on the board.

Along with those elected, there were also representatives from Curacao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Suriname, and US Virgin Islands, at the congress.

The Brix Hotel on Coblentz Avenue in Port-of-Spain Trinidad set the stage for the recent electoral congress that unfolded on Sunday, December 17, 2023, marking a pivotal moment for the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Organisation (CAZOVA).

Mushtaque Mohammed of Trinidad and Tobago emerged victorious, retaining his position as President in a spirited contest against Ms. Margarette Graham, the Treasurer of CAZOVA.

The electoral congress, which determined the new board to guide CAZOVA until 2027, attracted the participation of 12 out of 14 National Federation members. The event was conducted under the supervision of Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, President of the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA).

The represented associations included Aruba, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, Barbados, Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, and host country Trinidad and Tobago.

The newly elected executive comprises a mix of re-elected and fresh faces, demonstrating the organization's commitment to a diverse and dynamic leadership. The returning trio includes Kennedy McGowan of the Cayman Islands as First Vice-President, Gisette Emer of Bonaire as Second Vice-President, and Jacqueline Cowan of Jamaica as Secretary General.

Board Member Filomena Daniel-Curiel of Aruba also retained her position, while Kurtwood Green of the Bahamas and Mark Lewis of Barbados were newly appointed as Treasurer and Board Member, respectively.

In addition, Phillipe Lirus of Martinique was elected as an Honorary CAZOVA Board Member. Notably, Daymian K.E. Stewart, the President of T&T Volleyball Federation, retained his post as CAZOVA’s Executive Director, a role not subject to election.

With an action-packed calendar for 2024, CAZOVA encourages its membership to actively participate in various events and consider hosting both CAZOVA Beach and Indoor competitions. The organization will also emphasize assisting National Federations in enhancing their administration and governance structures.

As a unanimous decision, CAZOVA members pledged their support for President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz in his bid for re-election as NORCECA President, with the election scheduled to take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in July 2024.

President Marte Hoffiz expressed his congratulations to the new board and affirmed his commitment to working collaboratively with CAZOVA to further develop volleyball in the zone. The stage is set for a new chapter in CAZOVA's leadership, with a vision for growth, inclusivity, and excellence in volleyball across the Caribbean region.