KINGSTOWN, Jamaica – The University of the West Indies (UWI) has expressed “deep concern” regarding the leaked report pertaining to an inquiry by an independent review committee that examined aspects of its human resource framework.
UWI Chancellor, Robert Bermudez“The Final Report was submitted to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor on March 17th, 2022 under strict security protocols. The Vice-Chancellor has not yet seen the report as he has been traveling; nor have members of the University’s executive management team; as his instruction was that the document be quarantined until his return to office,” according to a statement released by the UWI.
It said that on reading the Sunday Gleaner newspaper, which carried a story on the report, the Vice Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles “expressed his disappointment and disgust at the reprehensible leak of a confidential document.
“He indicated that Chair of the independent HR Review Committee, Mr. Milton Samuda and he, had both gone to great lengths to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of the reporting process.
“The Vice-Chancellor further stated that he assured many principal stakeholders of the University that the Report, contrary to speculative media stories, was intended to give advice to management on how to strengthen industrial relations procedures,” the statement said, adding that Beckles has indicated that the University will have to review its internal processes to ensure that its confidential deliberations are not leaked.
The Sunday Gleaner had reported that the Vice-Chancellor had established the six-member committee to investigate the process involved in the renewal of his contract, an action that was viewed as tantamount to a subordinate investigating his boss.
According to the leaked document, the Chancellor, Robert Bermudez not only stopped the early consideration of the contract renewal of Beckles, but also presided over a process that deviated from established procedures.
The Gleaner reported that the committee provided seven major conclusions and more than a dozen major findings in the near 200 page report.
It said that a procedure established in 2006 for the reappointment of vice chancellors “was not followed” in the renewal of Beckles’ contract in 2001 for a second six-year term. Beckles was first appointed in 2015.
The report will go before the University Council next month. The Council is the UWI’s highest decision making body and is chaired by Bermudez.
In January, the UWI sought to downplay reports of a rift between Bermudez and Beckles, that the media here said has entered “unprecedented and “dangerous” territories”.
The Jamaica Gleaner newspaper had published an article headlined “UWI rifts deepens” that first gave the indication that Beckles was investigating the UWI ceremonial head “using a committee that reports to him.
“This is the latest act in the drama unfolding at the 73-year-old institution that intensified after a damning 2020 governance report commissioned by Bermudez was released, which critics believe was aimed at tarring Beckles’ stewardship.
“It is not clear when the committee started its work, but the body – chaired by Jamaican lawyer and former president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Milton Samuda – wrote to the chancellor on December 13, 2021, giving him 72 hours to answer 15 questions,” the Gleaner reported.
It said that those questions – and the committee’s remit based on the terms of reference of the so-called UWI Human Resource Management Review Committee – relate to the circumstances under which Beckles’ contract was renewed for another six years last April.
“It means Beckles’ six-member committee is investigating not just Bermudez, but also the University Council, The UWI’s highest decision-making body that is chaired by the chancellor,” the newspaper reported.
But in an internal communique, a copy of which has been obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), the UWI said it is a “public academic institution that greatly values it rules, regulations, laws and conventions, and its responsibilities to the societies its serves”.
It said that the experiences and perceptions “are often tested in relevant procedures and processes and their integrity assessed.
“From time-to-time management finds cause and has a duty to review such aspects of its human resource enterprise and operations.”
The university, which has campuses in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua and Barbuda, said that during academic year 2020-2021 “specific developments in the human resource culture produced a state of deep governance and anxiety within the community. These developments were discussed by the University’s executive management with a resultant decision by consensus that they were worthy of review and investigation.
“Under the relevant statue, an Independent Review Committee was established. Its report will shortly be submitted. The University Council, at its last sitting was notified of this intention and was also informed that the report will be submitted for its consideration at the next sitting,” said the UWI internal communique.
