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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
UTEB President Responds to Minister of Education’s Defensive Criticism of Union
By Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB)
Sep 9, 2014 - 1:44:25 PM
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 There is an old Bahamian saying, “Mash a corn and watch them dance,” and in recent days, since the release of the Union’s statement criticizing COB’s relationship with BAMSI, all kinds of dancing has been taking place.
However, despite the song and dance campaign undertaken by the Minister of Education and other government officials to discredit the President of the Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas and the Union for exposing BAMSI’s questionable relationship with COB as a sham, the President remains unmoved by these attacks, stands by his previous statements, and challenges the Minister of Education and others to speak facts instead of stooping to the level of personal attacks. Facts are facts and cannot be disputed or challenged.
The fact is that, as educators and as professionals, we have a responsibility to pursue facts, seek truth, and to do so with integrity. So, contrary to Fitzgerald’s outcry that our facts were ill advised, totally inaccurate, lacking research, reckless, and unbecoming of a leader and a union, neither he nor his colleagues were able to dispute any of the fact shared by UTEB. We, unlike the Minister and his colleagues, are not talking about intentions; we are speaking about the facts, since, as the old adage says, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The fact is UTEB, as per its Agreement with COB, is a concerned and active stakeholder in all that the College does. As a quality assurance mechanism, it has a responsibility to guide, lead, steer, and assist in all developmental issues that confront the College. And it most certainly has the right and responsibility to ensure that the College remains an honored and honorable place to work. There is no politics involved in these, except the politics of understanding that institutions of higher learning have special and unique responsibilities and Faculty within are held accountable for finding the truth and disseminating such. The Minister’s attempted denigration and bullying will not change this.
In many ways, although unbecoming and in poor taste, the Minister’s criticism was somewhat typical and expected, particularly since he and the government on whose behalf he speaks has a horse in the race. His attempts to politicize the President’s comments are therefore, even more reckless, baseless, and unbecoming than those he attributes to the Union. However, the Union takes his vitriolic criticisms for what they are, more politics and politics as usual.
As the Union’s representative and a member of the Academic Board that approves courses at COB, the President of UTEB repeats that as of September 8, 2014, there were no courses that were passed or approved by that body for BAMSI. If the Minister suggests, however, that the President’s first-hand knowledge is untrue, then we challenge him to say what is true.
As the Union’s representative and a member of the Appointment’s Board that approves the hiring and assigning of hired faculty, the President stands by his comments and repeat that COB did not recruit faculty, in any discipline, to teach at the North Andros institute. Because of his involvement in the process, he would have no need to do research on this matter either. But once again, if the Minister knows something that the President does not, he should present the evidence to prove the contrary.
We additionally pointed out that COB and BAMSI did not have a signed MOU to formalize a relationship between the two; the President was able to say this with surety because he sits in a position in the College to know this. Therefore, once again, there was no need for him to do research. The Minister confirmed that there was no signed memorandum between the two entities. We are, therefore, unsure of his beef. Either there is a signed agreement or there is not.
However, if the Minister feels that the Union is uninformed and in need of enlightenment, we welcome his insight and pose the following questions to him and await his truthful response. Perhaps he, his colleague, the Minister of Agriculture, and/or the ‘president’ of BAMSI, can also ally our fears with facts and evidence.
1. The President of BAMSI, Godfrey Eneas, claims it is a ‘hybrid’, which does not have any attachment to any Ministry or the College of The Bahamas. What exactly is BAMSI, and what is a hybrid? How do we reconcile public funds to support a private ‘hybrid’ company? What are the particulars of this company?
2. Is BAMSI a public, higher education, academic institute or a private business? If it is a private entity, are public tax dollars and the tax dollars of faculty members and employees of the College of the Bahamas being used to fund and support this private entity?
3. If BAMSI is a well-funded, autonomous, agriculture and marine institute - with a President, Executive Director, executive team, and governing board – then why is the College of The Bahamas developing its programs and courses, recruiting its faculty, facilitating its courses under the auspices of COB, and leading the drive to recruit its students if COB were not being used to legitimize BAMSI as a teaching institution? In fact
4. And if COB is not the driver of these initiatives, explain the BAMSI mechanisms in place that would allow the institute to give legitimacy to its programs without the assistance of COB. What are the standards being used to build a farm and the institute?
5. Why did the government not see fit to invest financially in the revamping and growth of the Associate of Science Degree Programs in Agriculture and Agribusiness that already existence at COB, as opposed to drawing away from the programs at the national institution by creating a competing Associate of Science degree program at BAMSI? Did the government not see COB’s program as a good investment? Is this how a carrying government determines is best for the development of tertiary institutes and universities? Why?
6. Why would the College not fight for the government to invest in and strengthen decades of research at Gladstone Research and Agriculture Centre (GRAC)? Why would it not support the development of the Small Island Sustainability Programme which received a 10 million dollar grant to lead the research and teaching in innovation and development around food security and sustainability in the country. Why would the government of the Bahamas and the College Council not shore up and support these programs rather than unravel both?
7. To date, NO MOU exists with COB, yet on July 2, 2014 a MOU was signed with University of Miami School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Was this between UM and BAMSI? What are the specifics of the agreement? Were there any implications of this signing on the work of the college and the College’s competitive advantage?
8. In his meeting to get “some of the most influential businessmen in America and the world” to invest in BAMSI, the Prime Minister said that these persons could “filter the money either through the UM or through a special Foundation set up by the government.” What does the Prime Minister mean by “filter”? What is this special foundation set up by government? How is this being administered? What is the implication for COB?
9. In terms of the college seeing a relationship with BAMSI as a revenue generating one, we would like to know the facts of how this works?
10. How will it work when a teaching institution, such as the college/university of The Bahamas, goes into competition through commercial farming and compete against the very farmers that are to be educated through the university?
On so many levels, there are issues and questions regarding BAMSI that need to be addressed, investigated, and clarified. The Minister and his colleagues do not need to answer all questions at once. But they have a responsibility and should do the responsible thing - provide me and the public with the facts. It’s either put up or shut up.
As for how UTEB got involved, I have made that very clear. The Minister is well aware that I do not represent any political interest, nor do I have an obligation to tell the government’s story or force the government’s will onto the College. The Minister also understands that I am not the President of the Union to do the bidding of the government or serve the Christie administration’s interest in COB.
College of The Bahamas statement on Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI)
The Union of Tertiary Educators Concerned About COB – BAMSI Charade
© Copyright 2014 by thebahamasweekly.com
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