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Why this animosity towards Professor Vasciannie?
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Professor Stephen Vasciannie must have wronged somebody in this Government in a previous life. For little else can explain what appears to be the genesis of a campaign to deny him the opportunity to serve his country.
The issue of the Government's objections to the Public Service Commission's (PSC's) recommendation that Professor Vasciannie be appointed solicitor-general has been well ventilated in the media.
Quite frankly, we see very little merit in the argument advanced by the attorney-general about the strength of Professor Vasciannie's litigation skills, given our understanding that such skills, while necessary, are not the most important required for the job.
In fact, we have been reliably informed that Professor Vasciannie's strengths in other areas of law, which are vital to this position, supersede those of the other deputy solicitors-general who had applied for the job.
That, plus his administrative skills and other assets, we are told, influenced the recommendation of the now fired members of the PSC.
As we have said before in this space, the Government has handled this issue poorly and should not, therefore, expect anyone to swallow its charge of misbehaviour by the PSC in the case regarding Mr Lackston Robinson as the reason for the dismissal of the PSC members.
For it is clear to us that there is some degree of animosity towards Professor Vasciannie inside the administration. The reason, as far as we can detect, is still a mystery, as we refuse to believe that his criticism of Mr Bruce Golding's return to the Jamaica Labour Party is at the root of this reluctance to work with the professor.
This is simply not the way of Prime Minister Golding who, on assuming office last September, stated unequivocally that his administration will only have a problem with civil servants when they are not performing their jobs.
We therefore find it troubling that this Government could so abruptly drop Professor Vasciannie from the chair of the Air Policy Committee.
Professor Vasciannie, as we reported in this week's Sunday Observer, succeeded Dr Kenneth Rattray in 2005 and has done what many in the civil service have acknowledged was an excellent job on a committee which offers no financial rewards.
Under his watch, the committee has completed and signed air services agreements with the United Kingdom, Chile, and Brazil. An agreement negotiated with Mexico in June 2007 is awaiting signature, and the committee had also started a new round of talks with the UK regarding amendments to the existing agreement.
The committee had also completed two rounds of negotiations with the Federal Republic of Germany towards an agreement that will reflect aspects of European Union policies on air transportation; was set to enter into negotiations with Spain for an agreement, and had explored possible talks with South Africa.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Mr Alwin Hales, in his letter informing Professor Vasciannie of the termination of his service, thanked the professor for his "tremendous contribution to the development of Jamaica's air policy". Mr Hales went further, saying that he was confident that the work done by Professor Vasciannie "will be a pillar on which the new committee will be able to build".
That is not the kind of commendation that is given to someone who is being axed for doing a poor job. The administration therefore needs to tell the country why it has taken these decisions on Professor Vasciannie. Is it that the prime minister, the chief servant, believes that he is above criticism, or is it that his underlings hold that view?
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Professor Stephen Vasciannie must have wronged somebody in this Government in a previous life. For little else can explain what appears to be the genesis of a campaign to deny him the opportunity to serve his country.
The issue of the Government's objections to the Public Service Commission's (PSC's) recommendation that Professor Vasciannie be appointed solicitor-general has been well ventilated in the media.
Quite frankly, we see very little merit in the argument advanced by the attorney-general about the strength of Professor Vasciannie's litigation skills, given our understanding that such skills, while necessary, are not the most important required for the job.
In fact, we have been reliably informed that Professor Vasciannie's strengths in other areas of law, which are vital to this position, supersede those of the other deputy solicitors-general who had applied for the job.
That, plus his administrative skills and other assets, we are told, influenced the recommendation of the now fired members of the PSC.
As we have said before in this space, the Government has handled this issue poorly and should not, therefore, expect anyone to swallow its charge of misbehaviour by the PSC in the case regarding Mr Lackston Robinson as the reason for the dismissal of the PSC members.
For it is clear to us that there is some degree of animosity towards Professor Vasciannie inside the administration. The reason, as far as we can detect, is still a mystery, as we refuse to believe that his criticism of Mr Bruce Golding's return to the Jamaica Labour Party is at the root of this reluctance to work with the professor.
This is simply not the way of Prime Minister Golding who, on assuming office last September, stated unequivocally that his administration will only have a problem with civil servants when they are not performing their jobs.
We therefore find it troubling that this Government could so abruptly drop Professor Vasciannie from the chair of the Air Policy Committee.
Professor Vasciannie, as we reported in this week's Sunday Observer, succeeded Dr Kenneth Rattray in 2005 and has done what many in the civil service have acknowledged was an excellent job on a committee which offers no financial rewards.
Under his watch, the committee has completed and signed air services agreements with the United Kingdom, Chile, and Brazil. An agreement negotiated with Mexico in June 2007 is awaiting signature, and the committee had also started a new round of talks with the UK regarding amendments to the existing agreement.
The committee had also completed two rounds of negotiations with the Federal Republic of Germany towards an agreement that will reflect aspects of European Union policies on air transportation; was set to enter into negotiations with Spain for an agreement, and had explored possible talks with South Africa.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Mr Alwin Hales, in his letter informing Professor Vasciannie of the termination of his service, thanked the professor for his "tremendous contribution to the development of Jamaica's air policy". Mr Hales went further, saying that he was confident that the work done by Professor Vasciannie "will be a pillar on which the new committee will be able to build".
That is not the kind of commendation that is given to someone who is being axed for doing a poor job. The administration therefore needs to tell the country why it has taken these decisions on Professor Vasciannie. Is it that the prime minister, the chief servant, believes that he is above criticism, or is it that his underlings hold that view?
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