Why HEART/NSTA Trust Chairman Edward Gabbidon resigned
Jamaica
EART/NSTA Trust Board Chairman Edward Gabbidon has resigned in what he has noted is a move not to allow individuals, for political gain, to use him as a distraction from the valuable work of the Trust.
Gabbidon resigned on Friday last week in a letter he sent to Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
The relationship between a company for which Gabbidon is the chief executive officer, Sycon, and the HEART/NSTA Trust, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks.
In his letter of resignation, Gabiddon noted that Sycon has been doing business with HEART for well over a decade, across successive administrations, and prior to his service as chairman of the board of the Trust.
Gabbidon said during a recent debate in Parliament, a report submitted to the PAAC was referenced and quoted a statement from a member of HEART/NSTA Trust’s legal team.
The member of the legal team was quoted as saying, “…to date I have not been furnished with a copy of a Declaration of Interest nor have I had sight of same. I am, therefore, not in a position to comment on the scope that said Declaration covers.”
Gabbidon stated in his resignation letter that that statement was subsequently used to suggest and assert that he did not declare interest in a company with which he is associated.
But he says that is false and furnished the prime minister with correspondence supporting his insistence that he did declare interest in Sycon.
According to Gabbidon, the facts are that Sycon, of which he is the chief executive officer, has been doing business with the Government of Jamaica across administrations and specifically with HEART/NSTA Trust for more than a decade on an ongoing basis. Gabbidon said, on accepting appointment to the board of HEART/NSTA Trust in 2018 out of a desire to serve his country, he fulfilled the requirement to declare affiliation and interest.
Gabbidon told Prime Minister Holness that the value of the procurements involving HEART and Sycon were below the threshold that would require board approval. He said, therefore, he would not have been called up on to make any decisions regarding contracting with the company.
Gabbidon said, too, that he was not a member of the procurement subcommittee of the board and would not have participated in any decision regarding procurement at that level.
The former HEART board chairman noted that Sycon is a 27-year-old industry leader in technology, and, in many instances, the company provides products and services for vendors that require specialised, and specific certification and training to implement.
He reiterated that the specific procurement around which a query was raised was aborted and not issued.
Gabbidon reiterated, in his resignation letter, that whenever arrangements with Sycon came up for discussion at HEART, he would recuse himself to allow the transparent examination of the issue. He, said, all procurement guidelines were adhered to by the organisation.
The former Heart/NSTA Trust chairman told the prime minister that his motivation to serve was to give back to his country and to create opportunities for young people to access training and character development.
“Looking at the bigger picture and not wanting to become a distraction from the important work that the board is undertaking at HEART/NSTA Trust, and having regard to certain changes in my personal circumstances, I wish to now advise that I will not be available to continue serving the board of the HEART/NSTA Trust,” Gabbidon told the prime minister.
The former HEART/NSTA Trust chairman said he wishes to express his gratitude for the opportunity to serve Jamaica, which he described as an invaluable expression of confidence in him.
A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said Holness thanked Gabbidon for his service to the board and Jamaica.
It also said a new chairman of the board of the HEART/NSTA Trust will be named shortly.
“A strategic review of the Trust is currently underway following the report of the Commission for the Transformation of Education report which was delivered earlier this year,” OPM said.
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