A LinkedIn post and my comments and responses Part 2

 

Here is a response to my post yesterday that I received after posting in my blog yesterday. LINK

Luqman Michel that’s wonderful. I know a few good ones (Pro-bona lawyers)in Colorado. Let me know and you can tap my network. I am a restorative justice mediator. Let me think about your questions deeply. We shall find a solution. Promise.

I replied immediately:

Fatima Fernandez Wow! Thank you very much. Here is my email to the International President that has yet to be responded to. This may help you to think. 

From:luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk

To:District Administration,Member Service Center,ClubOfficers,Legal

Cc:Eurafrican,IberoAmerican,PacificAsian,Seaholm, Emily

Thu 20 Mar at 04:46

 Hello Ms. Kelly Schearf,

Please pass this email to the International President Fabrício Oliveira.

Dear President Oliveira,

I am writing to you regarding the Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Centennial which is the largest club in Sabah with the first VDG as its member. This club appointed officers and board members without an election mandated in the Lions Constitution. I feel compelled to bring this matter to your attention after months of correspondence with the Legal Division, beginning in September 2024, which has unfortunately yielded no resolution.

As the leader of Lions Clubs International, you are accountable for ensuring the organization’s Constitution is upheld, not undermined.

I write to you because critical failures—clubs breaching LCI mandates under the pretext of autonomy, archaic complaint restrictions, and absurd financial burdens—threaten the integrity of the Lions Movement. These issues demand your intervention, not the Legal Division’s sidestepping.

First, clubs must adhere to the Standard Form Lions Club Constitution and By-Laws, which mandates elections for officers. Autonomy in day-to-day management is fair, but using it as an excuse to appoint officers and dodge the democratic process is a violation, not a privilege. LCI’s failure to firmly enforce this risks turning a blind eye to governance breakdowns. As president, you cannot allow clubs to erode our foundational rules under your leadership.

Second, barring non-members from lodging complaints is outdated and indefensible. When a club’s actions—like bypassing elections—jeopardize the Lions’ credibility, former members, community stakeholders, or concerned outsiders may see it. Silencing them in 2025 protects violators, not the organization. This policy is a relic that clashes with accountability, and you have the authority to scrap it.

Finally, suggesting any individual—especially a non-member—pay a fee to report such breaches is outrageous. If a club’s deviation from LCI mandates tarnishes the reputation of the Lions movement, those raising the alarm are doing your work. Charging them turns a service into a penalty, an insult to the Lions’ ethos of goodwill. This cannot persist under your watch.

These flaws weaken LCI—they embolden rule-breakers, stifle oversight, and prioritize bureaucracy over principle. As International President, you must act: enforce the Constitution without exception, open complaint channels to non-members, and abolish fees for reporting violations. Anything less betrays the trust placed in your leadership and the mission Lions stand for.

I expect a substantive response, not excuses or deflections. The Lions deserve integrity, and you must deliver it.

Sincerely,

Luqman Michel

For details read my blog posts at https://myclubexperiences.blogspot.com/