CASE fight heats up
Alumni steps up effort to oust Deslandes
THE COLLEGE of Agriculture, Science and Education Alumni Association is stepping up its efforts to have the president of the Portland-based College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), Dr Derrick Deslandes, removed from the post, citing a wastage of money earmarked for projects at the college, as well as his failure to commit to the job full-time because of other appointments on a number of boards of government institutions.
Deslandes was appointed president of CASE upon the retirement of Dr Mary Ann Nichols in September 2015 and his contract will expire on August 21. The alumni association is going all out in its efforts to ensure that his contract is not renewed, and has accused the board of management, appointed by Education Minister Fayval Williams on May 10, of failing to meet to discuss the matter. Efforts to contact Board Chairman Dr Aundre Franklin proved futile, as calls to his phone went to voicemail.
When The Gleaner contacted Deslandes, he said the board was due to hold its first meeting on Monday, after which he was prepared to address the matter in a fulsome way, and offered to allow this newspaper full access to its books, since he had nothing to hide.
In an earlier interview, the CASE president had said he was well aware of the accusations and the persons who were behind the campaign to smear and unseat him, which he described as unjust. He pointed to the fact that since CASE was built 50 years ago, there have not been any upgrades to the facility, and on the question of the projects, he explained that while the college had the Government’s commitment to fund various projects, it had not yet received all the money in hand.
According of Deslandes, the Cabinet only approved one of the projects about four weeks ago, while others were tied up in the procurement process, with one just coming from the evaluation committee, while another was just being sent to that committee.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP NEEDED
In a story carried in the news magazine, The Agriculturalist, it claims, among other things, that: “The president has not provided the requisite evidence that he can deliver the calibre of transformational, inspirational and motivational leadership that is required to transform the college to full university status.”
The article charges further that Deslandes is in violation of the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act, which limits an individual from serving on more than three boards at the same time.
In addition, it lists among the unfinished projects, a plant tissue culture laboratory to be constructed at a cost of $18 million; a state-of-the-art tunnel ventilation broiler chicken house at a cost of $25 million; two commercial aquaponics production facilities for $10.4 million; a licensed commercial medical cannabis production facility, reported to cost $110 million; a half an acre plant propagation shade house, at a reported cost of $4.5 million; and the construction of an abattoir for $29 million.
While it claims not to be accusing the CASE management of any impropriety, the association’s executive and members have expressed concern at the snail’s pace of project implementation; income-generation opportunities that are being missed; the lack of transparency and shroud of secrecy surrounding the execution and the financial status of the projects.
“We just want the president to settle down and get on with the business of providing effective leadership of the college,” Pius Lacan, the alumni association president is quoted as saying in The Agriculturalist.