Tag Archives: Karen Best

Wayne Willock – Can You Imagine…?

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Submitted by Wayne Willock
Wayne Willock

Wayne Willock

Can you imagine some of the things that go on in this country? And the lives that have been, and continue to be, turned upside down as a result?

The boss I had before I acted as his replacement for some 18 months is thought to be a very jovial joke-giving man. That is far from the truth. He was really quite vindictive, wicked and insecure. I thought that the talk of demons by a minister only applied to the children but many of those demons are in administration. And that nomenclature also involves its author.

But let me tell you about the man that fooled most people. Can you imagine that during a short period during his tenure I had to act and since it was end of term coming up decisions had to be taken. He had indicated that his evident friend was going back to a Caribbean territory to live so I engaged another person to fill the spot. That did not work out and when he came back that was reversed and the individual resumed duties. I got lambasted. At the end of that period I asked staff to criticize my work over the few weeks so that I can learn from my mistakes, something called “self- evaluation” which he had never done since dictators don’t do that. His lackies went back and told him how I paraded in front staff telling them to criticize me and were “offended”. At the next staff meeting he declared that I was the worst deputy he ever had and made sure that it was minuted. Can you imagine he asked me to read the same minutes? And when I thought that it was only me, I discovered that during his stint at Erdiston as the big boy he also lambasted the current principal in front of the staff. Such is the nature of a man who did not only love corporal punishment but seemed to have invented it since whatever a child did from cursing to weapons to drugs he would say “put some hard lashes in them and let them go along”. I wonder sometimes if he had any partners that suffered the same fate and left! The last straw was at his final speech day when he declared in front of everyone that the speaker would be the next principal of his school. Wow! Things were really brown.You know, insecurity comes when a subordinate seems to have more and better ideas that the person in charge, and more so, gets things done, leading by example and walking around.

Well here are some of the things I accomplished even after his running to the ministry to complain about me. I thank Greavesie for offering some consolation at that time, as acting deputy chief. Even he could tell you what happened to me when he was the pilot at a school in the north where I feel proud that I was allowed to benefit so many children, now friends if mine. Alleyne to the bone! But here are some of my facts from the east:

ACHIEVEMENTS AS DEPUTY

  • Computerization of the Timetable
  • Introduction of tabs on the senior girls’ skirts to improve deportment and tidiness
  • Attended to and stamped out the issue of children loitering in Six Roads on mornings and frequenting Emerald City, getting to school late.

ACHIEVEMENTS AS PRINCIPAL (ACTING)

  • Facilitated three buses leaving the school on evenings and a dedicated bus coming up on mornings
  • Increased the attendance of parents at Year meetings and PTA meetings
  • Put measures in place to unite and amalgamate the several factions of the Old Scholars
  • Facilitated preparations towards the full implementation of both the CVQ and CCSLC programmes as indicated by the Ministry
  • Revived the Incentive Scheme Programme (rewards to children for performance and punctuality)
  • Instituted policies to deal with several matters of discipline including weapons and violence (towards teachers too!)
  • Conducted Formal Evaluations of teachers and Administrators ( some of whom were never available to do it)
  • Reorganised the distribution of the in-coming first years to promote mixed ability teaching) to deter discrimination, low esteem and stigmatization (which was the practice for years). Classes were renamed.
  • Reorganised the curriculum in the upper school to facilitate more effective timetabling, use of resources and fulfillment of student needs.
  • Provided certification for those students leaving school in Cosmetology while allowing those who may have left school to return just for that purpose (to do CVQ’s in a different uniform)
  • Upgraded the general public perception of the school.

Thanks to the Almighty, I was able to accomplish those things even amidst the rumour-mongering, lies and deceit dished out to me by certain individuals there. Who was I to come into St Philip and disturb a dictator’s “den of comfort?” Daniel was in that den too!

Can you imagine that in this country persons get a phone call telling them to apply for a particular post? Can you also imagine that before the first question is asked by the panel at an interview the chosen candidate is well known? Can you even imagine that persons have boasted about having secured a post even before it was even advertised properly? Wow! What a system! And remember that this is not about any specific political party.

Can you imagine a minister had to go to court, was fined $1000.00 and thought it was too much for failing to comply with the laws of the road. Imagine also that the driver of the car that was struck by that person, poor woman in pain, almost crippled, has received few visits if any from the perpetrator? Imagine that the culprit was in a hurry to get lunch from Pug shop. He should have been locked up for assaulting the lady. Not corporal punishment but vehicular bashment . But then again he has worries and problems. Imagine that one week an article in the newspaper noted that he was quite disturbed at seeing young boys walking around with their pants below their behinds and exposing that part of their anatomy. Then the next week another article implying that it was time the society accepts same-sex marriages. A backward direction for the imagination. Social origins might be playing a roll. Let me leave that there for now.

Can you imagine that a kingly individual who recently retired was forced to do so because of the pressure applied by those best known for their “ bombastic nature”. And they tried to charge him with one of those things like “destruction of government property” so that he might not get his pension and gratuity. This place sick then! Ms Piggy on the loose!

Can you imagine building a brand new registry where so many people including the elderly, babies, pregnant women and others must frequent, and wait long without having any toilet facilities available to john public on the floor?

And finally can you imagine that the person put in charge of a certain tribunal to rule on a judgement for some unfortunate workers has clear connections with the top ranking persons in this country. Whom is the tribunal really representing? Notice that judgement is never reached and is being reserved. Till when? Till elections?

I gone again. Will raise a few more matters on other topics and then keep my mouth shut. Recluse? Maybe.

The Alexandra Incestuous Factor

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Karen Best, former BUT President and current Deputy Chief Education Officer

Karen Best, former BUT President and current Deputy Chief Education Officer

Minister Jones, visibly shaken and angry, termed the no-show a “gross insult” and the low point of industrial relations practice in the trade union history of Barbados. Mrs Karen Best, president of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), reportedly said she had never seen anything like it in industrial relations. Her [Best] comments clearly indicate her union will not support the BSTU. For the first time that I can remember, there is a split among five unions – the BSTU and Barbados Workers Union (BWU) on one side, the BUT, BAPPSS and NUPW on the other

– Nation Newspaper

It seems to be finally hitting home to Barbadians – especially the political partisans – that the Alexandra School dispute (AX) is not so easy to resolve after all. The Frederick Waterman headed commission of inquiry was suppose to wash away the problem which all have to admit predates this government coming to office.

One view of the AX matter which BU has not put under full scrutiny is the incestuous nature of the relationships of key decision makers and participants in the AX plot. Barbados we know is a small country  and there is an inevitability about how personal relationships can shape public perception about how decisions are taken.

Key players in the AX Mess are Principal Jeff Broomes, Minister Ronald Jones, and Deputy Chief Education Officer Karen Best who are ALL products of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT). To complete the BUT connection we should declare that current President of the Barbados Union of Teachers is Pedro Shepherd who recently challenged for the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) nomination in St. Michael South East.

Of special interest to BU is the recent appointment of Karen Best who has responsibility for schools.

‘Ingredients’ for a cabal you think? It gets better.

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Alexandra School: "Separation" and Sacrifice

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Submitted by Yardbroom
Ronald Jordan reacts to his transfer to Alexandra - Image credit - Nation

Ronald Jordan reacts to his transfer to Alexandra – Image credit Nation

I wonder how many of those teachers, who assiduously canvassed for the Head to be “separated” from the school, thought that they too would be separated, and if they did, why did they fight with such alacrity [eagerness]?…I have only posed a question.

The general idea from the present Government’s perspective was to solve a major problem and this up to a point they have done. The main players are no longer at the school, the school has an opportunity to do what it is mandated to do…teach children and thus move on.

Many of the major participants will never be the force they once were and some at the end of careers, will be remembered for things they would rather forget.

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Workers Misrepresentation, Who Benefits?

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Caswell Franklyn, Head of Unity Workers Union

Recently the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Dale Marshall, accused the National Union of Public Workers of playing politics. That caused me to reflect on the state of trade union representation in this country and wonder if the accusation was true for other unions. A comparison of the roles played by the unions during different political administrations would suggest that Marshall had justifiable reasons to come to his conclusion. During the DLP administration, you tend to get the impression that unions are bending over backward to accommodate the Government. When the BLP is in office, unions tend to be a bit more active which can be attributed to the fact that most union leaders appear to favour the DLP.

From inception workers have been complaining that the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) has not been acting in the best interest of workers, and that it has been used to keep workers quiet while the employers and Government, as the other members of the so called Social Partnership, gained at the expense of the workers. The list below which speaks for itself represents most of the major actors who played pivotal roles in the formation and continued existence of CTUSAB, and others who were active in their individual unions:

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