The Alexandra School Saga provoked the intervention of Prime Minister Stuart and led to the establishment of the Alexandra Commission of Inquiry.  Six hundred thousand dollars later many of the actors were transferred hither thither an yon or forced to retire BUT the principle actor has re-emerged, Principal JEFF BROOMES.

News broke yesterday {28/10/2014) that Parkinson Memorial School was forced to close around midday because 39 out of 61 staff members decided to attend a meeting at the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) headquarters to air “grievances over the management style and other practices of principal JEFF BROOMES. For many it evoked a feeling of déjà vu. It was not a strike action but the union obviously sanctioned the meeting.

Many will again take sides, BU prefers to locate the JEFF BROOMES issue in the realm of Barbados’ capacity to solve problems. If JEFF BROOMES has a management style that is creating tension at the school, there are tried and tested management methods to diagnose and inform a solution.

The Parkinson Broomes imbroglio is analogous to the unravelling WICB WIPA dispute. The buck stops with the WICB in the same way it stops with the ministry of education and government.

Barbadians were assured at the time the Waterman recommendations were implemented the JEFF BROOMES problem would be solved. A lot of political mileage was made of it. The fact the problem has resurfaced has however come as no surprise to sensible Barbadians. Many prefer to focus on JEFF BROOMES but the ministry of education and the Barbados Union of Teachers are the other actors who deserve to be thrust under the microscope as well.

The reported exchange which took place between deputy chief education officer David Clement and a NATION newspaper team at the school is instructive. The  security guard was advised to call the police if the NATION team refused to leave the school premises yesterday. The BU household in a similar situation would have approached the media personnel and issued a statement even if it was to state the obvious.