Dear Editor,
The news at the beginning of January that Olato Sam had been named Chief Education Officer (CEdO) captured my attention and aroused concern. My feeling stemmed not from the person named but rather the position to which he was named. The nation had been alerted to the unfortunate situation regarding the non-appointment of Ms Genevieve Whyte-Nedd to the post of CEdO, despite the fact that she had acted in that position for more than four years. At the time Mr Shaik Baksh made the announcement regarding Mr Sam’s appointment, it was reported that Ms Donna Chapman was appointed Deputy CEdO. Mr Sam served as Technical Advisor to the Minister from 2007 up until his appointment.
The non-confirmation of Ms Whyte-Nedd attracted much public debate and open criticism from various organizations including the PNCR, the trade union movement, other interest groups and opinion shapers in our society. It also attracted picket action in front of the Ministry of Education and was generally deemed discriminatory and vindictive. There was a strong belief that the hand of the political directorate was firmly planted on this decision.
The Public Service Union slammed the Ministry of Education for denying Whyte-Nedd the promotion and stated that “… the Ministry of Education was instrumental and complicit in the post of Chief Education Officer not being filled during the period when Mrs Whyte-Nedd was acting in the position, for more than four years.” The Peoples National Congress Reform in a series of press statements accused the Minister of Education and government of playing politics with the position and applying discriminatory tactics to Ms Whyte-Nedd. The Minister in response to these and other claims had responded last year that he had “no say in the appointment of the CEdO.” He was quoted by the Chronicle as going on to state: “Even as Minister of Education I cannot [appoint] and no Education Official can be recommended by me…I have no say in that.”
Mr Patrick Yarde of the GPSU had told us that Minister Baksh, in answering a question as to why Whyte-Nedd’s appointment was being delayed, had responded “…be advised that the ministry is in the process of restructuring the Education Department. As, such, please hold on to the filling of vacancy of the Chief Education Officer until this exercise is completed.” The Chronicle too reported him as saying something similar. Critics of this excuse question why the positions of other senior education officials were not affected by the restructuring. They pointed to the appointments that were made to fill vacancies such as the Assistant Chief Education Officer (Pri-mary), Principal Education Officer (George-town), Education Officer II and others during the restructuring period.
Despite all the protest about the non-appointment of Whyte-Nedd, the government seems unmoved. Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir refused to respond positively to those who sought his intervention in this matter. So the saga continued, until Whyte-Nedd filed a motion in the High Court last July, and then subsequently retired in November.
Months have passed and the government, probably in the belief that the people have forgotten the issue, has appointed a new CEdO. Since the CEdO has been appointed does it mean that the restructuring process, referred to by the Minister, is completed? If it is, what are these changes that have been ushered in and which were so intricately attached to the office of CEdO that the appointment of that official had to be delayed?
Let me reiterate that this letter is not about Mr Olato Sam, whom I do not know, and I do not offer an opinion on whether or not he is the ideal person for the job; rather it is about a process of appointment. This process must be examined in order to make government officials accountable and responsible to the people. Too often these officials say and do things which do not reflect transparency and good governance. They feel confident about performing in this manner as they believe that people are too busy to scrutinize their words, deeds and policies; the laptop ‘flip-up’ is a case in point.
I wish to remind all that in this election year in particular, we should pay attention to what is said and done, and hold people responsible for their actions or comments. To do less would be to facilitate their game and allow irresponsibility and non-accountability to continue to permeate the society. Good governance is not a privilege, it is a right; we all must work to claim this right.
Yours faithfully,
Lurlene Nestor
