Director Tasheena Maccow looking into to taking NIPA to court.
PHILIPSBURG: --- The new Board of Directors of NIPA is allegedly creating a negative and fearful environment for the workers and students at NIPA by terminating different staff members for unknown reasons. SMN News understand that at least two senior civil servants (Department Heads) are on the BoD and at least one of them is working at the Department of Education. According to information provided to SMN News, the two senior civil servants that are on the board are micromanaging the education institution and have been making distasteful remarks to the staff. SMN News further understands that the BoD placed enormous pressure on at least one board member who represents the union to resign.
According to information provided to SMN News, former Minister of Education Patricia Lourens the 2ND Executive Director for the BoD resigned from NIPA a couple of months ago for unknown reasons. Sources say that she couldn’t deal with at least one member of the board while Eldica Lake, the first Executive Director of the BoD was terminated last year for similar conflicts with the board. However, SMN News also learned that the BoD of NIPA did not terminate the staff members but chose not to renew their contracts after an evaluation was done and several of the staff members that scored low contracts were not renewed.
The organization was supposed to be audited by Government early 2017 but that audit was delayed seemingly government gave the BoD some additional time to regulate the institution finances.
SMN News learned that Tashenna Maccow, a young director was terminated while celebrating a farewell party for another colleague whose contract was also terminated, however, SMN News learned that an evaluation was conducted and Maccow did not score well thus her contract was not renewed.
SMN News learned that Maccow is contemplating to take the NIPA board to court for constant interference micromanagement, nepotism, and conflict of interest.
SMN News learned that one of the BoD members is collecting Naf.2, 000.00 as Chairman of the BoD of NIPA and it is also alleged that the same person will be collecting an extra salary to function as the Director of NIPA.
According to information provided to SMN News, the teachers and staff are worried and uneasy because, while these senior officials have two jobs with good paying salaries their jobs are on the line because their contract is soon to be expired.
The contracts for many teachers are soon expiring and they are very concern that their contracts might not be renewed.
This type of organization is the pillar of hope for all young and old for St. Maarten, but being managed by these well paid senior Government officials is not a good sign of hope to all and sends a bad message that we allow integrity conflicts and bully tactics by our own people.
