What's Happening, October 31, 2021

New Head Of Government Organization

Word on the ground is that there will be a new head of of a well known government agency, and this could end up being another controversial appointment. Jamaicans have become very concerned about the integrity of persons who are appointed to government boards and as heads of these government organizations. Citizens are saying that persons who have a question mark above their heads should not be appointed to sensitive government positions.

This organization which is about to get a new head, has been without a head for a number of years. One Trade Union leader has said this is not looking good. This situation has remained unnoticed by the public and also the auditor general.

The last head of the organization ended up being locked out of an official function of the organization and this lead to a deterioration in relationships. The acting head who was being favourably seen as the next head of the agency, her contract was not renewed even although recommendations for acceptance was given by a sub-committee of the board.

Note:

While writing this blog I saw a Gleaner report that Sydney Bartley is tipped to be the next head of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission. If this is confirmed then this appointment could be a very controversial indeed! 

The Meteorological Office

At 10:00 p.m., the center of Subtropical Storm Wanda was located near latitude 36.2 North, longitude 45.4 West. The storm is moving toward the southeast near 33 km/h, and a slower southeast to east-southeast motion is expected during the next day or two.  A turn to the northeast or north is forecast to occur on Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 85 km/h with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next few days.

Subtropical Storm Wanda is not a threat to Jamaica.

Pay While On Special Leave

There was a heated debate in the house recently about  Principal of Jamaica College having his special leave extended.

One union leader said that in the public sector and specifically in the police force, cops are given a part of their salaries, when they are sent on leave pending the outcome of a case. In this case, Mt. Ruel Reid was given special leave to take on the role of Minister. Now that he is not the Minster should he return to school? Has the school Board considered the matter now in court involving Mr. Reid and has sent him on further leave or not? If the Board has sent him on leave, is he entitled to his full salary or a part of it?

In the house of parliament after the long arguments about this matter, I do not recall anyone mentioning what the laws says about a matter like this.

I have been informed that Mr. Ruel Reid is not the only Principal who is on leave because of a pending court case. The question is, why those names are not being mentioned at this time and what action will be taken to deal with all these issues.

We must realize that a man is not guilty until he or she is proven guilty in a court of law. It seems to me that the challenge is not whether or not someone is getting a salary while there is a case in court against that person,  but  how long it takes to resolve the matter in court.

Many are zooming in on Ruel Reid but is Fritz Pinnock on leave and is he being paid his full salary?  I understand that the Principal of Mona Secondary is on leave also and I wonder if he is being paid his full salary? I understand that a member of parliament had a charge against her but that MP is still in the house and is still getting paid as far as I know. That reminds me about another case, when there was a major uproar about another member of parliament who it is alleged assaulted his girl friend. There were calls from all over for him to resign but there is silence for the female MP who was charged and arrested.

There was also the report of the wife of another member of parliament who reported a case of assault to the police against her husband. There was no call for that MP to resign his seat and he still continued to get his salary.

There are also other cases of a parish councillor and others who have been charged and they did not resign their positions and they continued to get a salary. It is clear that the field is not level. The society is hypocritical towards certain issue and we must admit that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

We need to hear from the lawyers and our trade union leaders. Do we have a standard practice as to what should happen when public officers are charged? Should they be suspended from their post immediately pending the outcome of their case? I understand that members of the police are not happy with how they are treated when they are suspended because a case has been brought against them. We should bear in mind that the outcome of each case could take almost forever!!! 

One thing is certain, and that is, the state should not charge someone and the case takes up to six years and the person has to live without a salary. This is punishing the person as if that persons had been convicted in a court of law.

Ah boy...Donkey sey di wo'l no lebel!

More Readings

MP Neita-Headley

Mikael Phillips

Patrick Roberts

Ruel Reid and wife arrested

Kari Douglas

JLP Councillor in custody

Is His Excellency - Dead Or Alive?

Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith, former head of the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in Montego was controversial in life and now he is controversial in death - the self style 'His Excellency Kevin Smith' is still alive - alive in the minds of the people. Some who are just trying to make the story more intriguing and saying that Kevin did not die while others are saying that he raised from the dead on the third day.

One gentleman call me from the United States and told me that Kevin Smith should not have been allowed to be taken in a car so that he could be in direct contact with the police officers. He claims that he has seen how a well known hypnotist whose name was Bunny Neil, had hypnotized persons and got them to do strange things. He declares that Kevin Smith has special gifts and he is trained. It is possible therefore that he could have taken over the minds of those police officers in the car. Kevin's plan was for the police to crash the car and for him to get away scot free. A second person called me tonight with the same theory. He felt Kevin put the policemen to sleep and that is why the car careened off the road.

Well the stories will continue and if officials of the state do not communicate properly with the nation then this will help to develop a fertile breeding ground for more exciting rumours. 

What is interesting about this man, is that he had two police outriders escorted him to his birthday bash, while he travelled in a stretch limousine followed by another and yet the force hierarchy was unaware of this. This man built a church with members from all over and no one seemed to be aware of his antecedents. All of a sudden no one seems to know kevin. This might seem strange on a small island but not strange in Jamaica Land We Love.

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Lawyer not aware of where body is.

Talk of Kevin's resurrection causes business man nightmare.

Who was Kevin Smith.