Medley

GOVERNMENT'S KEY information arm is moving to recruit a new chief executive officer (CEO) after Huntley Medley, head of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) and former press secretary to the P.J. Patterson administration, was dismissed from the agency Tuesday night.

In a sudden development, Medley's two-year contract, which came into effect in March last year, was terminated overnight.

The former JIS CEO, in a press release, said the decision was communicated to him on October 7.

According to Medley, the rapid development did not allow him to "properly advise the agency's staff, clients and stakeholders of my departure".

Approved recommendation

The Office of the Services Commission said Medley accepted a recommendation for the termination of his contract.

Minister of Information Olivia Grange, who has oversight responsibility for the JIS, indicated yesterday that Medley's contract was terminated as she was not pleased with his performance.

Grange told The Gleaner there was no political consideration in making the decision to end Medley's contract.

"I would have no reason to terminate his services if I was pleased with how he was carrying out his duties," she stressed.

The information minister said there was a mutual understanding between herself and Medley that, if things were not working in the best interest of the agency, she would ask him to step down.

Grange dismissed speculation that the week of celebrations for the Olympians, which had in part been poorly organised, led to her decision to fire the veteran journalist.

Not satisfied

However, she said she was not satisfied with the campaign to promote the Independence celebrations earlier this year, stating that it was not put together in a timely manner.

"I was most upset about it and I called a meeting and expressed myself and, after that, they did an excellent job," she said.

In a statement yesterday, Medley noted that he led the agency during two different political administrations and guided it through a change of Government.

He said his tenure was marked by a concerted and collective effort to revamp the public information input of the JIS to achieve greater impact.