Coming out of the recent Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) conflict with the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), and the debacle involving the termination and reappointment of General Manager Stanton Alleyne, some not so favourable comments were directed towards Chairman Don Marshall. Also in our blog post of yesterday, BU published an item which placed Chairman Marshall in a less than favourable light. BU is appreciative to Chairman Marshall for coming to the blogosphere to clarify matters. We must warn him that discussion can get robust at times but we wish to assure him that he will get a fair hearing whenever he feels motivated to come to Barbados Underground.
On another note we would entreat Dr. Marshall given his prominent role in the CARIFORUM/EPA negotiation, to submit his unfettered opinion to BU on the subject. We have made this simple request because we believe that the matter has been presented to the PEOPLE of Barbados and the region as a highly technical matter. Can we rely on you Doctor to bring this matter to the blogosphere framed in a manner which shows relevance to a national, regional and global strategy?
Here is Chairman’s Marshall clear the air statement posted on BU today:
This is a space of free comment that at times enlivens the real meaning of democracy and free speech.
First, the NCF Box officially reserved for the Chairman, SSA. I queried this with the Ag. Manager SSA last Wednesday and he informed me that all members of SSA Management did in fact receive complimentary tickets supplied by the NCF. SSA provided sponsorship to the NCF in its staging of Crop Over 2008, an initiative taken by the Board and Management of SSA at its April 2008 Board Meeting. This notwithstanding members of Management were invited to the SSA Box an there was attendance on Friday’s Pic-O-De-Crop Final’s show. Some members of Management and the former General Manager of SSA made several visitations of the Box over the weekend.
There is one other thing, the manner of my Chairmanship of SSA. A lot of comments freely circulate, some I cannot simply ignore without intervention. I do not aspire to control and explain everything that moves and exists at SSA. This is impossible to accomplish anyway. Public sector governance is not simply an academic curiosity for me, but a lived experience emanating from my year at Central Bank of Barbados and temporary (3 month ) stints at the Land Tax Department and the Ministry of Trade.
I offer the following information for consideration, indeed contemplation.
- I left Barbados on a UWI – Univ. of Manchester assignment that ran from June 9 2008 until July 28 2008. The last SSA Board meeting under my Chairmanship would have been June 6 2008.
- The Deputy Chairman of SSA served as Acting Chairman in the interim (June 9 -July 27 2008).
- It was dismaying and distressing to learn of breakdown, the strike, and the stress all round. This was helped none by my becoming a victim of robbery whilst in Manchester on assignment.
- I returned to Barbados last Monday and spent some time with the Minister (Tuesday) learning of the developments that occurred in my absence. We also discussed urgent matters to do with the landfill gas to energy project, and slope monitoring at the Greenland National Landfill. The latter issues featured prominently in my one day visit to SSA Main Office on Wednesday last week.
All of this is to say that as I resume the detail of Chairmanship, I have an ethical responsibility to provide explanation and update of SSA initiatives and developments. When the debriefing sessions are over, and appropriate decisions made, I will be prepared to engage all publics.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.