Not at war, but Davis must go - JTA

Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), the union that represents the island's more than 20,000 teachers, is insisting that it is not at war with the Ministry of Education, its parent ministry. The union is standing firm, however, on the issue of Alphansus Davis' removal as chair of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) a stance which puts Tuesday's regular monthly meeting with the ministry in jeopardy.

Both JTA and the ministry have denied there is acrimony between them, but with neither appearing to budge on the appointment of Davis, and radio comments by Education Minister Andrew Holness, which the JTA describes as "offensive", it could be a long term before the summer break.

JTA president Nadine Molloy Young said the teachers remain hopeful that there will be an apology by the minister for the comments about the timing of a news release from the association and one from the Opposition People's National Party (PNP). The minister's chastisement of the JTA came days after the PNP demanded answers from Holness over Davis' appointment, which also called for a reversal, suggesting that Davis' appointment was tantamount to him "advising himself".

Waiting for apology

In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Molloy Young she said the teachers are waiting for the minister to apologise. She said the association's stance was not a personal attack on Davis, but the minister should not put him in a position to have to recuse himself.

According to her, Davis could be asked to deal with an issue involving Jamaica College, which has Ruel Reid as its principal. Both Reid and Davis are advisers to the minister.

Davis is also said to be the chairman of a school board.

"Why would the minister want to put someone in this position to recuse himself every time. It is just untidy, really untidy. And because of the important role played by the TSC in the profession, fair play must not only be a perception, it must be preserved at all times," she said.

The TSC, set up by the Education Act of 1965, is an advisory body to the education minister and deals with issues relating to the registration of teaching personnel; the discipline of teaching personnel; the assessment of qualifications; and any other matter of a professional nature referred to the commission by the minister.

It also advises the minister on matters relating to the appointment of principals as well as the appointment of vice-principals and teachers to posts of special responsibility if requested by the minister.

According to Molloy Young, an apology from the minister would go a long way in repairing the damage that has been caused by his statement, which gave the impression of some alliance with the Opposition.

"I can't speak for individual members of the JTA about their politics, but I want to make it quite clear that if I was interested in politics, I would not use the JTA as a springboard, because I would not need it," the feisty teachers' president said last Friday.

Partisan politics to blame?

However, sources in both the JTA and the ministry have suggested that partisan politics is at the heart of the rocky relationship between the ministry and the JTA despite the public denial of no acrimony.

Some supporters of the Government believe the JTA has been hostile to the minister because it is largely supportive of the Opposition, while some JTA members have referred to alleged utterances by ministry officials that the ministry would "crush the JTA" because it was supporting the Opposition.

Molloy Young said based on information available so far, it appeared that the Jamaica Labour Party government has had more JTA "leaders" (not necessarily presidents) entering representational politics from the association than the Opposition.

"The names Clifford Campbell, Edwin Allen and Euphemia Williams are just three top stand outs right now," she said.

Molly Young said Tuesday's monthly meeting with the ministry is unlikely to be held as a pre-arranged meeting last Friday to iron out issues was not held as both the JTA and the minister were otherwise engaged.

She will be unavailable on Monday, she said, because of previously arranged engagements.