The Tribune

IN the House of Assembly, former deputy prime minister Philip “Brave” Davis, who now leads an Opposition of three, seemed to have left his memory at the door when he entered the chamber last week.

He rose to his feet, pulled himself up to the full height of his small stature, and declared that there were apparent signs that the Minnis administration was on a “wholesale witch hunt”. The victim this time was apparently Ms Agatha Marcelle, executive director of the National Training Agency. Ms Marcelle has spent almost a lifetime in public service, and in 2002 was elected an MP for the South Beach constituency. She has a credible record of public service and a good academic background.

However, over the years she has kept a low profile and so none of us at The Tribune knew much about her or had heard any report of her being “witch-hunted” from her office — the suggestion being that she was to be victimised because of her politics. And so a reporter was quickly assigned to check on the condition of Ms Marcelle.

However, the reporter was unable to speak with her, because although she has completed her government contract, she was at the time of the telephone call in a board meeting and still on the job. Up to this morning, she was still on the job. So whether she is now retiring from public service, or not being rehired by the Minnis government is not clear. But, whatever it is, it does not seem that she is being rushed from her office.

Mr Davis was later interviewed by reporters after the morning session of the Assembly. He told them that if in fact Ms Marcelle was being relieved of her duties it would be an “egregious act, because she is a talented person who has led the agency from its inception. She would have institutional knowledge. She has done such a wonderful job there and it would be quite a shame that this government will rob the institution of such a talent.”

However, Mr Davis’s loss of memory has allowed him to forget that in 2012 when his PLP government took over the administration, Freeport in fact was denied the services of another talented lady and this time no one made any bones about it — it was indeed because she was FNM and not PLP. As with many PLP appointments seldom have they been based on ability. As long as one is a card-carrying PLP — academic achievements or experience do not count — being PLP is sufficient qualifications for a government appointment. Mediocrity has always been pandered to, ending up with persons in positions for which they are not qualified. No wonder The Bahamas is in such a downtrodden state.

It won’t be long now before we have a lot of information coming out of Freeport about the administration of Urban Renewal.

When the PLP won the government in 2012, Ms Tirzah Carey headed Urban Renewal and from what we understand, not only was she qualified for the post, but was doing a commendable job. Ms Carey at the time of her appointment was a graduate of Barry University in Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in social work. By then, she had had 15 years experience as a welfare officer in the Department of Social Services and the Grand Bahama Probation Department. From 2008 to 2012, she had successfully managed seven Urban Renewal centres with a staff of 30 during which time she developed community-based programmes for seniors, youth and the unemployed. Space will not allow the inclusion of all of her achievements. However, she did not have the most important qualification of all – she was not PLP. And so, without ceremony on the arrival of the Christie government, Ms Carey was removed and replaced by Ms Michelle Reckley, a cook. Ms Reckley might be an excellent chef, but when asked by The Tribune what made her think she was qualified for her new job, we got the glib reply that because she “lived urban” she was fully qualified to head Urban Renewal.

Since then, all we have heard in the past five years have been bitter complaints about “Miss Urban”. She has now been suspended from her position by the FNM government. Maybe, Mr Davis can explain her appointment. It would seem that the PLP, knowing that she did to have the required qualifications for the position, set her up for failure. Maybe, Mr Davis is the one who should be explaining her failure. From what we hear from Freeport, we do not think that this is the end of the Urban Renewal story.