Former Education Minister Dr. Tim Gopeesingh has accused Education Minister Anthony Garcia of embarrassing the University of the West Indies (UWI) by prematurely announcing the selection of businessman Robert Bermudez as the new UWI Chancellor.
He is also calling for Garcia’s removal as the Education Minister and for apologies to the UWI as well as the regional community.
In a release, the Caroni East MP referred to it as a “horrible blunder” which he said reflected “a new level of incompetence by the inept minister.”
Describing the announcement as a “terrible howler,” Gopeesingh said the matter had subjected the Keith Rowley administration, “to even more ridicule and derision.”
The former minister went on to state that Garcia should have been dismissed long ago for “the major reversals he has wrought to the education system after five years of sustained and historic gains.”
He added that Garcia’s tenure has been marked “by the lowering of academic standards, the withdrawal of vital learning features and support systems and one administrative gaffe after another.”
The MOE has sought to explain how the decision to appoint Bermudez was done as it said a Search Committee was convened on September 7, 2016 by the University Council to commence the process for the appointment of a new Chancellor.
The Search Committee was chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and comprised one representative from governments in the Bahamas; Barbados; Jamaica and T&T; two representatives of other contributing countries; five representatives of the Senate; one representative of the Post Graduate Students’ Association; one representative of the Guild of Students; one representative of WIGUT; and one from the Alumni.
