Nigel Clarke Profile picture
Nov 1, 2019 16 tweets 5 min read Read on X
#Thread On learning of a meeting of UTECH Staff this morning, I called UTECH Staff Association (UTASU) President Mr Leo Langley and offered to attend, to address the UTECH staff and field any questions. Image
UTECH plays an invaluable role in Jamaica and trains tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, leaders, skilled technicians and professionals.
However, recall that UTECH is not a part of the GOJ and UTECH Staff are neither hired nor paid by the GOJ.
The GOJ gives the UTECH a subvention grant annually that UTECH uses to supplement its other income in order to meet its expenses.
The GOJ has no direct say in the expenditure decisions of the UTECH, nor in who or how many persons they hire, nor in their compensation agreements.
Having said that, UTECH Staff have reported to me that for approximately 10 years they have been seeking adjustments in their compensation in keeping with historical adjustments made to the compensation of others in the education sector. Image
In these matters the usual relationships can be represented as follows:

MOF<->MOE<->UTECH Mgmt<-> UTASU <-> UTECH Staff.

In this chain, there is evidently room for a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Image
On the matter of trying to resolve a longstanding issue I therefore thought this approach to be sub-optimal. To remove any possibility of further misunderstandings I therefore requested the opportunity to address UTECH Staff directly on their own turf. Image
My first ever meeting with UTASU was at the end of March 2019, after the budget had been laid and presented. They explained the long-standing issue to me. I was moved by their concerns. Image
As a result of that meeting and another that followed in April, the GOJ increased the subvention to UTECH by $1 billion or 45% in this financial year, 2019/20, through the Supplementary Budget process. Image
This increased subvention facilitated, for the very FIRST time, UTECH Staff being paid at the adjusted levels they have for so long sought and this was a major breakthrough that I was proud to be associated with. Image
The issue that remains is that the adjustment would have been effective from a previous period and so this triggers “back pay” owed by UTECH to their staff. Image
So to be clear, current pay is for the very FIRST time at the adjusted levels UTECH Staff have long sought and the outstanding issue is back pay owed by UTECH. Image
Many UTECH Staff members expressed the strong preference for the details to remain private and I will respect that and I won’t divulge that information here (but I reserve the right to comment if others do). Image
Let’s just say we had the opportunity for an open and frank conversation where I was able to provide information directly to UTECH Staff. Image
This will allow UTECH Staff to consider the communication and dialogue with UTECH Management in the appropriate context. Image

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More from @NigelClarkeJa

Jul 10
#CCRIF and #DisasterRiskFinancing Thread 🧵
 
I love PSM. However, PSM did not start CCRIF. The claim is false.
 
Furthermore, the messaging suppresses the complex and contradictory history of CCRIF and Jamaica.
We will not allow you to get away with criticizing and complaining about the GOJ’s maintenance of CCRIF policies when they do not pay out after hurricanes have affected Jamaica,and then seek to claim credit when they do pay out.

That is the same kind of unprincipled approach we have called out before.
Let’s unpack it all below:
 
Keen observers of public affairs would be aware of the length of time that CCRIF has been around, as that history is well documented online, in the media, in parliament and in the public space over the past 20 years, in hundreds of articles, posts and news stories.
Read 36 tweets
Mar 26
Under this Government, even after the worst economic crisis in our history, Jamaica’s macro-economic fundamentals are the strongest that they have been for 50 years.
 
And we are leveraging that economic stability in the people’s interest.
It was Bruce Golding and Audley Shaw who had the audacity and courage to point out that the economic policies of the 1989 – 2007 administration were unsustainable and reckless.
For periods during that 18 year stretch, just two expenditure items – interest and salaries – exceeded tax revenues.

The PNP administration ran large fiscal deficits for 11 consecutive years between 1996/97 and 2006/07.
Read 34 tweets
May 10, 2023
#Update 🧵

CARIFORUM member states (ie Jamaica and 13 other Caribbean countries, including the Dominican Republic), entered into an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union in 2008. Image
This agreement, known as the CARIFORUM-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (CARIFORUM-EU EPA) is a region-to-region trade and development agreement.
See the agreement here ⬇️:

sice.oas.org/trade/car_eu_e…
On signing in 2008 the EPA agreement included, among several other provisions, a ten-year moratorium for implementation of a phased liberalization of Import Duty on motor vehicles imported from the European Union (EU).
Read 13 tweets
Jan 28, 2023
#Thread 🧵 Summarizing my Op-Ed in Saturday’s publication of the Gleaner: The FSC sent a report in April 2020 about an examination of SSL in June 2019.
While the report was not brought to my attention it would not have made a difference if it was as:

(i) By the time the report was sent, the FSC Board had already implemented the recommendations in the report by issuing SSL with directions in October 2019.
(ii) SSL was confirmed by FSC as being compliant/largely with those directions with breaches being addressed.
Read 16 tweets
Jan 26, 2023
Please See #CourtOrder below: ImageImageImageImage
#Background

On or about the 16th of January SSL applied to the Companies Office for a members’ voluntary winding up

Prior to this the FSC had put the company under Temporary Management using its powers under the Act.
Read 4 tweets
Mar 8, 2022
Join me for my presentation on the 2022/23 Budget Debate || The Hon. Nigel Clarke - March 8, 2022 twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…
I would like to begin by thanking Almighty God for his kindness, as well as his many blessings, and mercy. To God be the Glory, great things He hath done. #BudgetDebate2022
Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day, a global day, which celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and call for action for generating gender parity. #BudgetDebate2022
Read 111 tweets

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