From financial turmoil to ownership

WESTERN BUREAU:

Dr Mark Nicely, secretary general and a former president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), says the purchase and opening of the organisation’s Western Regional Offices came at a moment when the association had lost more than $100 million during what he described as a period of “great turmoil”.

Speaking at the reopening of the facility, named in honour of Wesley Hewling, in Fairview last week, Nicely said the decision to purchase the building back then came at a time when the JTA was grappling with one of the most severe financial crises in its history. Amid that turmoil, the organisation made a bold decision to press ahead with owning its own buildings, a move that has since reshaped its administrative independence.

The reopening comes as Jamaica continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, whose Category 5 winds battered western Jamaica, damaging schools, homes and offices, and forcing institutions such as the JTA to rebuild while maintaining critical services.

“This building was purchased in the midst of great turmoil in the JTA, at the height of the Marlon Francis saga,” Nicely said. “The JTA had lost in excess of $100 million, and at the time I had the difficult task of spending $22 million after losing over $100 million.”

Despite the financial shock, Nicely said the leadership recognised that retreat was not an option.

“The logic was that the JTA was down, but it was not out,” he told the gathering.

Nicely explained that the acquisition of the building was not a spontaneous act, but part of an approved programme that went before the association’s general conference during his tenure as president.

“Whenever you are going to become president of the JTA, you have to have a programme that goes to conference – and gets approved. My programme included the purchase of a regional office for the Jamaica Teachers’ Association,” he said.

APPROVAL FOR PROJECT

He noted that at the time, there was no structure on the property, only land, and no approval to commit funds. However strategic negotiations were used to keep the option alive until the membership granted the green light at its annual general conference.

“This building was not just on the programme; it was allocated a sum of money to be enacted,” Nicely said.

Recalling the moment the decision moved from paper to reality, he said, “I recall signing a cheque for $11 million – the largest cheque I have ever signed in my life – for the deposit on this building.”

Nicely said the opening of the facility marked a turning point in the JTA’s history in 2014, which also marked the association’s 50th anniversary since it was established.

“It was at the opening of this building that it was declared that the JTA would no longer rent buildings – it would own its buildings; this building was the springboard,” he said.

That declaration, he added, led to the subsequent purchase of regional offices in Port Maria and Mandeville, ensuring that today the JTA owns all its buildings, describing it as both a symbol of resilience and a milestone in the union’s evolution.

In 2013, the JTA uncovered a major fraud involving former employee Marlon Francis, after the auditors detected irregularities. Nearly $100 million was allegedly siphoned off through fraudulent cheques and claims, prompting police investigations and lengthy court actions to recover stolen assets.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com