Is Lions Club International a Franchisor

BOD I suspected that there were bank accounts not disclosed to the BOD’s as well as to members of my Lions club - Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Host.

I wrote an email to all members asking them if there were bank accounts not disclosed to the BOD’s.

When I did not get any response from my club members I decided to write to the District Governor and then to LCI.

I was told by one Past President from my club that LCI will not take any action in local matters as LCI is similar to a franchisor.

Another past president from another club was very cocky and  said that he was sure LCI will not interfere in local affairs.

Sure enough LCI asked me to refer to the clubs BOD and when I wrote again to LCI they asked me to write to the District Governor. I wrote for a second time to the District Governor and had a meeting with her where I handed her documents for Club Dispute Resolution Procedures. When the DG did not do anything other than picking up my documents and handing them to John SF Ho and Thomas Ho Thau Phin I wrote to LCI yet again and there was no further response.

I am not suggesting that LCI is a franchisor but let us look at what a franchisor/franchisee relationship is like.

Like any relationship, a positive franchise relation is based on mutual respect and trust, commitment to a common goal, understanding expectations and the right culture fit.

The franchisor provides the franchisee with the brand and the materials, but whether the business succeeds is in the hands of the franchisee. The franchisee is the business owner, and he is in charge. 

The franchisor, however, has the power to terminate or not to renew the contract.

The Franchisor has the exclusive rights and fiduciary duty to protect its Trademark and Brand. This certainly includes standards of operations, protecting trademarked signage, logos and products.

In my opinion, LCI, like a franchisor, should not interfere with day to day running of the clubs. However I believe LCI should at least take active participation when its name and reputation is at stake as in the case of Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Host.

Why was my request to suspend the club one year ago not acted upon by LCI?

Is this not opening up the flood gates to secret bank accounts by other clubs in this district? I understand that there are other clubs doing the same thing.

Would non Lions who read all these posts in my blog be confident that their donations will actually be used for purposes intended?

Would youths intending to join a charitable organization want to join Lions Club?

My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they are cheap; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right. ~ Sophocle