UTech Council to decide Morrison's fate

According to inside sources, as early as next Monday, the Council of the University of Technology (UTech) could come to a decision on the recommendations - put forward in a report from the Special Advisory Committee - for a number of changes at the institution.

Among the recommendations is that the Government should undertake immediate steps to search for a new president to replace current president, Errol Morrison. It also calls on the Government to exercise more control over the university.

"They met yesterday and they now have copies of the report. They will now go through it and make their decision, which could be as early as Monday," the sources told The Gleaner.

The four-member committee was set up last year by the education ministry to probe allegations of financial irregularities and bad governance at the university. The final report of the committee, outlining its findings as well as making a number of recommendations, was released in February.

It was outlined that the university had breached a number of government guidelines, made several unapproved appointments, and lacked transparency and accountability in its operations and spending practices, all of which had led to serious mistrust among the staff.

The committee said it did not think Morrison's continuation as UTech's president would be in the best interest of the university and suggested a major overhaul of the management structure and operational practices.

Other findings

The report also includes findings from a Public Accountability Inspectorate Division Investigative Report on UTech, by financial secretary Devon Rowe, which recommended that UTech take measures to immediately recover $240,000 paid out to Milton O. Hodelin, engineer in the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2011 for a training workshop that did not take place.

The inspectorate said it examined documents revealing that Hodelin had been paid the money to prepare and present a two-day workshop in government procurement policies, principles, and practices on September 5 and 6, 2011. However, the investigators said there was no evidence to suggest that the training was delivered.

In the meantime, one of the four committee members, Kofi Nkrumah-Young, has distanced himself from the report.

His was the only signature missing from the final document dated February 28. The other members were chairman, Ambassador Derick Heaven; Shirley Tyndall; and Olubusola Akinladejo

Nkrumah-Young said: "I could not agree with some of the conclusions drawn by the other members of the committee and, therefore, I submit specific reaction to the contentious points ... . The committee has chosen to ignore my clarification and my pointing out the error in interpretation."

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com