THE NATIONAL CULTURAL FOUNDATION (NCF) often mires itself in controversy – needlessly so.
From the moment a new chairman was assigned to replace Ken Knight back in May 2010, a feeling of unease began to emanate from the walls of the West Terrace agency, stemming initially from the imposition of the reported gag order that entailed that only chairperson Monique Taitt could speak officially to the media.
One wonders if the subsequent resignation of the media liaison, corporate communications specialist Wayne Simmons, had anything to do with this.
Between Crop Over 2010 and last year, therefore, it was crystal clear that the role of the now-sacked chief executive officer Donna Hunte-Cox was merely titular. She was not in charge, the buck did not stop at her as it did with most previous CEOs and cultural directors, and she was obviously uncomfortable in the post.
If this was an attempt to stave off the controversies with which the foundation and, indeed, the festival have become synonymous, it backfired, leading to an unhappy regime at West Terrace and suspicion in the public domain.
The positive element of amicable agreements between Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley, the NCF and usually contentious stakeholders has therefore not been enough to mask the untenable arrangement of a figurehead CEO and a chairperson seemingly ruling the foundation with a rod of iron.
Furthermore, Hunte-Cox’s exit could not have happened at a more inopportune time. coming a few days before Crop Over 2012 kicks off with the Cavalcade Youth Invasion at Briar Hall next weekend, the CEO’s departure has already drawn unfavourable attention to the entity that produces Crop Over.
And with the foundation being funded by taxpayers’ dollars, questions are bound to be asked sooner or later relating to the string of NCF CEOs and directors who have left under controversial – sometimes bitter – circumstances, or whose stints were remarkably brief.
Since the establishment of the foundation in 1983, its first director Elombe Mottley left amid raging controversy after being at the helm from 1984 to 1988. The dismissal of Dr Elliot Parris, director from 1990 to 1995, was no less adversarial, while two subsequent CEOs, Antonio “Boo” Rudder and Dr Allyson Leacock, sat for only four years each.
Ian Estwick, who had previously chaired the NCF’s board, resigned with the coming to office of the new David Thompson administration in 2008, but since then the NCF has had two chairpersons and two CEOs. Vere Browne had sat in the chief’s chair for a year until Hunte-Cox took over in 2009.
We wonder what’s next for the NCF?
We deserve a clear explanation from the Minister of Culture.
