Nelson, Pickersgill and Wynter

THE RECENT spate of public-sector board firings and resignations has revealed that Government and some board members have not been singing from the same songbook.

A total of three boards have had their composition altered since the Bruce Golding administration took office 14 months ago.

Minister with responsibility for the public sector, Senator Dwight Nelson, regards the board changes as important in achieving the objectives of Government, but the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) says they signal that Golding's government is struggling.

"The way they have been firing suggests that they did not do their homework properly," says PNP chairman Robert Pickersgill.

JTB board reconstituted

The boards of Air Jamaica, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Urban Development Corporation have already been reconstituted. Similarly, several top executives have either been given their walking papers or have chosen to pack their bags.

Two weeks ago, Ian Moore was dismissed by Energy Minister Clive Mullings from the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica where he served as chairman of the board.

Huntley Medley was sacked as executive director of the Jamaica Information Service and Ryland Campbell resigned as chairman of the National Health Fund (NHF). Rae Barrett, the CEO of the NHF, was asked for his resignation.

Shirley Williams, who was executive chairman of Air Jamaica, had her wings clipped when very soon after her appointment under the new government, she was reduced to a non-executive chairman and the composition of her board changed.

Pickersgill has scoffed at suggestions that the prime minister is demonstrating strong and decisive leadership in not allowing non-performing boards to remain in place.

"If that were so, then he should be firing a lot of his ministers," Pickersgill reasoned.

The PNP chairman said that the chopping and changing of the boards tell a particular story about the management ability of the Golding-led government.

"They are tearing apart at the edges, so the centre is bound to fail," he said.

Right to remove

But responding to journalists last week, Nelson said that boards were tasked with various objectives and Government reserved the right to remove them if the objectives were not being met.

"When you appoint a board member, you appoint them on the basis of your perceived ability of that board member to carry out the objectives that you desire," Nelson said. "Now if that board member fails to carry out that objective, or by his or her action or omission creates some kind of encumbrance or stumbling block against the proper execution of those objectives, then you have the right to recall," he added.

Management consultant Robert Wynter agrees with Nelson. Wynter tells The Sunday Gleaner that if somebody is not performing, he or she should either be fired or asked to resign.

"What is needed is transparency; clear communication and justifications for removing the individual or the board," Wynter says.

Required new team

Except for its chairman, John Lynch, the entire executive of the JTB resigned last week. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said he asked for the resignations because the changes in the external market required him to put a new team in place. The explanation does not sit well with Wynter.

"It is a good thing, on the one hand, that the prime minister, or his ministers, is removing a board member or board that is not performing. But on the other hand, I am concerned, for example, with the minister of tourism, who claims that it is changes in the external environment why the Tourist Board had to offer their resignation," Wynter said.

He argues that Government should at all times be transparent and not hesitate to give the reasons boards are being fired or members asked to resign.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com