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Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Dear Editor,
Former JLP leader Edward Seaga has been appointed pro-chancellor of the University of Technology (UTech) in place of Dr Blossom O'Meally Nelson. According to press reports, Dr O'Meally Nelson was asked to resign, because of differences between herself and UTech president, Prof Errol Morrison.
Mr Seaga's appointment raises a number of questions. First, what qualifies Mr Seaga to be pro-chancellor? According to the statutes governing UTech, the pro-chancellor is a university administrator who chairs the governing Council of the university. Does Mr Seaga have a track record in university administration or academia generally, that qualifies him to replace Dr O'Meally Nelson?
As a matter of law, the pro-chancellor is appointed by the minister of education on the advice of the Council of UTech. I am curious to as what criteria were applied by the Council in "advising" the minister of education to appoint Mr Seaga.
Why did the Council choose a retired politician who is almost 80 years old to replace Dr O'Meally Nelson? What qualified Mr Seaga for appointment as pro-chancellor? Why didn't the Council opt for a younger qualified person with perhaps less political baggage? Did the Council advertise the position of pro-chancellor or interview other applicants before selecting Mr Seaga?
Given that UTech is partially funded by the public purse, transparency on the part of the Council is obligatory. In the absence of any explanation from the Council, it is difficult to resist the inference of partisanship on the part of the Council.
While I hold no brief for Dr O'Meally Nelson, it seems that her resignation had less to do with her differences with Professor Morrison, and more to do with making room for Mr Seaga.
This seems implicit from Dr O'Meally Nelson's published resignation letter, where she stated, "It is my view that officers of the university should not be regarded as political appointments and should not be subject to change with a change in government." I suspect that Mr Seaga would not have been considered, much less appointed pro-chancellor, were the JLP not in power.
Mr Seaga's appointment is emblematic of Jamaica's decrepit culture of governance, which spurns meritocracy in favour of loyalty and long service.
James Hunt Farnum Griffiths
Maryland, USA
billy.farnum@gmail.com
Dear Editor,
Former JLP leader Edward Seaga has been appointed pro-chancellor of the University of Technology (UTech) in place of Dr Blossom O'Meally Nelson. According to press reports, Dr O'Meally Nelson was asked to resign, because of differences between herself and UTech president, Prof Errol Morrison.
Mr Seaga's appointment raises a number of questions. First, what qualifies Mr Seaga to be pro-chancellor? According to the statutes governing UTech, the pro-chancellor is a university administrator who chairs the governing Council of the university. Does Mr Seaga have a track record in university administration or academia generally, that qualifies him to replace Dr O'Meally Nelson?
As a matter of law, the pro-chancellor is appointed by the minister of education on the advice of the Council of UTech. I am curious to as what criteria were applied by the Council in "advising" the minister of education to appoint Mr Seaga.
Why did the Council choose a retired politician who is almost 80 years old to replace Dr O'Meally Nelson? What qualified Mr Seaga for appointment as pro-chancellor? Why didn't the Council opt for a younger qualified person with perhaps less political baggage? Did the Council advertise the position of pro-chancellor or interview other applicants before selecting Mr Seaga?
Given that UTech is partially funded by the public purse, transparency on the part of the Council is obligatory. In the absence of any explanation from the Council, it is difficult to resist the inference of partisanship on the part of the Council.
While I hold no brief for Dr O'Meally Nelson, it seems that her resignation had less to do with her differences with Professor Morrison, and more to do with making room for Mr Seaga.
This seems implicit from Dr O'Meally Nelson's published resignation letter, where she stated, "It is my view that officers of the university should not be regarded as political appointments and should not be subject to change with a change in government." I suspect that Mr Seaga would not have been considered, much less appointed pro-chancellor, were the JLP not in power.
Mr Seaga's appointment is emblematic of Jamaica's decrepit culture of governance, which spurns meritocracy in favour of loyalty and long service.
James Hunt Farnum Griffiths
Maryland, USA
billy.farnum@gmail.com
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