The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE draft version of the University of the Bahamas Bill is a “slap in the face” to the three unions represented at the College of The Bahamas and leaves too much at the discretion of the institution’s President Dr Rodney Smith, according to Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas (UTEB) President Mark Humes yesterday.

The Bill, of which The Tribune has obtained a copy, also makes provisions for the president to hold office for five years and allows for reappointment after that time.

This clause, Mr Humes said, was peculiar because it will add five years to the time Dr Smith has already served.

He blasted the government and drafters of the Bill for reportedly failing to consult the Tertiary Managers Union, the Bahamas Public Services Union or UTEB. He also criticised Dr Smith for refusing to meet with the union despite several calls to discus the draft.

On the issue of the president’s term, the Bill says: “The person who immediately before the date of the commencement of this Act was the president of the college under the repealed Act shall continue to be the president under and for the purposes of this Act as if that person had been appointed under this Act and shall remain in office until the expiration of his tenure and in accordance with his contractual terms and conditions.

“…Subject to these statutes, the president shall hold office for five years and shall be eligible for reappointment thereafter.”

A successor for the presidential post is to be appointed by the Board of Trustees whose head is to be the current president, the Bill says.

Mr Humes is upset that the Bill does not stipulate that the board have representatives from all arms of the institution.

“In most institutions you would find that the president operates ex officio. But with this draft Bill there is nothing to say that. He is essentially his own boss. That seems unusual for me that the boss sits on the board and is in charge of his own fate.

“The president is touting this document as one that establishes shared governance but when you look at the Board of Trustees there is no staff, students or faculty represented.”

Mr Humes said the Bill has no regard for existing pieces of legislation and does not recognise the role of unions in the institution’s daily activities.

The word “union” only appears once in the Bill.

“This draft has been written without consideration for existing laws, I am talking about the Industrial Relations Act, the recently passed Tripartite Bill, the Employment Act and the industrial agreements the college is signed on to,” Mr Humes said. “It seems to disregard those pieces of legislation.

“It appears that whomever is the driving force hopes that this will pass and the laws will line up to this document,” Mr Humes said.

Bahamas Public Services Union President John Pinder echoed the sentiments of Mr Humes.

He said he was barred from entering a meeting to update staff at COB on the transition process on Friday.

He said his main concern was the way in which COB executives were proceeding with moving the Bill forward.

The college is expected to transition to university status by the end of the year. The process has been pegged at around $16m.