Academic integrity vs powerful special interest
Published:Thursday | June 19, 2014 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Data, data analysis and research in general have become increasingly important to the modern world. For policy development, project management, management and governance, having sound, quality information which can guide decision making is crucial.
It is, therefore, not only alarming, but quite frightening that an institution which is tasked with being the regional entity to lead, guide and train individuals in generating quality information through empirical research is now being accused of taking a decision which seems counter to its mandate. I believe the University of the West Indies (UWI) needed to show where and how Professor Bain failed to fulfil the requirement of producing and presenting empirical evidence to support the position which led to him being dismissed.
The facts are clear, based on statistics from the Ministry of Health, National HIV Programme, in 2011 there were an estimated 32,000 persons living in Jamaica. During this period, the general prevalence rate for HIV was less than 2% for Jamaica - meaning that less than two persons in every 1,000 persons in the Jamaican population are HIV positive.
What is more important is that the prevalence rate among female commercial sex workers (CSWs) is four per cent, twice the national average, which makes female CSWs a significant contributor to the epidemic.
ALARMING
What is most alarming, however, is that among men who have sex with men (MSM) the prevalence rate in 2011 was recoded at 32 per cent. I would like to believe that, based on these rates alone, Professor Bain, or any other learned academic looking at these data, would conclude that this group is among the main groups leading the epidemic. This runs counter to the view most often articulated that it is heterosexual contact that is the most significant driver. The data just does not support this.
Furthermore, among the nations where homosexual behaviour is more accepted, the rates among MSM are even higher and have not shown any change. Therefore, what is the ultimate goal of this lobby group? Does CHART not have a mandate and a responsibility to ensure that the rates of HIV infections are reduced, if not eliminated across the Caribbean?
Regardless of what the data suggests, I still believe that it is incumbent on the UWI to state, much more clearly than they have done, why Professor Bain was forced out of his position. It is unacceptable to say that he no longer holds the confidence of a key interest group, every man on the street knows that already. In fact, every man on the street knows very well which interest group that is. The UWI has a responsibility to show how his position was not based on empiricism and how he failed to develop a perspective based on facts.
If the UWI fails to provide this evidence, it would seem that this special-interest group that represents 3% of the population has successfully undermined the premier academic institution in the Caribbean. It would seem the UWI, at least in this instance, is not the bastion of fact-based theorising it says it is.
GARTH WATSON