PORT ANTONIO, Portland:

The College of Agriculture Science and Education (CASE) in Portland is now facing industrial unrest after members of the Academic Staff Association staged a sit-in yesterday.

More than 40 members of the academic staff, led by its president Fazel Huie, gathered outside the CASE office clamouring for the immediate removal of Dr Paul Ivey.

The staff claim Ivey, president of CASE, failed to move the college towards the fulfilment of its mandate.

"We have lost all confidence in the president and his leadership style," said Huie.

"The president lacks the necessary human relations and cooperative skill to move this institution forward. He has continued to victimise the academic staff, and has made numerous attempts to have them dismissed unfairly," Huie went on.

The staff has said that Ivey not only failed to facilitate the growth of the institution, but has also dismantled the agricultural programme and further failed to secure and protect CASE's assets.

Petition

Huie further claimed that staff had sent a petition to the minister of education requesting the removal of Dr Ivey and had indicated a vote of no confidence.

"We did not receive a response from the minister, but it was passed on to the board of management to act. But that in itself has indicated to us that something is wrong, as we at least expected something to come out of that. We have identified our problem, which we have articulated to the president and the board of management, and we are now awaiting their response," said Huie.

The lecturers have in the meantime vowed to continue their protests until the president demit office.

A meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. today between the academic staff and board of management to resolve the unrest.

Frequent clashes

Yesterday's protest action also received support from the student council association, which has been involved in frequent clashes with Dr Ivey in recent times.

Student council president, Oshay Johnson, said students of the east and west campuses were in full support of the lecturers.

"There are many factors here which affect both students and lecturers," he said.

"The standards of this facility have fallen. There is a high shortage of teaching aids in agriculture at this facility. I am a fourth-year student and there are numerous amounts of ongoing problems which affect students and lecturers, which have been ignored by the college president."

Attempts by The Gleaner to speak with Dr Ivey proved futile, as the college president, who was locked away in his office, told his secretary he had nothing to say.

- Gareth Davis Sr