Former Education Minister wants back JC Job

Ruel Reid...wants back his JC job.

The embattled former Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Ruel Reid, has become the enemy of education. However, he is demanding reassignment to his job as principal at Jamaica College, upon the completion of the eight-month-long vacation leave to end on November 1.

This declaration, made known by a trustworthy source, claimed that Reid is anxious to regain his position as the all-boys school's principal. He was on secondment and leave of absence while Acting Principal Wayne Robinson stepped up to the plate.

On March 20, Prime Minister Andrew Holness requested Reid's resignation after several allegations surfaced concerning mismanagement and corruption at the Ministry of Education, and several entities under its remit, including the Caribbean Maritime University. There were also allegations that Reid was laundering money into his housekeeper's account and even had a government-issued credit card that was approved by the Ministry of Finance.

He submitted his resignation as a Government Senator but while on the two-year secondment, he was also a candidate for St. Ann North Western. There were reports that he was laying low after his resignation as Minister of Education until he was spotted in Portland, during the by-election campaign in April.

The Opposition, the People's National Party, claimed that Reid was still campaigning in the St. Ann North Western seat despite his resignation as a Minister of Government. But, General Secretary, Dr. Horace Chang, denied that he was still campaigning as he has been removed from the candidacy position.

Investigations by the Director of Public Prosecution's office are ongoing into four possible criminal laws that Reid might have breached, along with common-law offences and administrative breaches. This investigation is considering all the potential breaches and criminal acts that have surfaced in sync, since his resignation.

Now, with nowhere else to turn, Reid is grappling at strings to regain the position as principal at JC. It is said that he is willing to take legal action to speedily get back his job.

However, with all this cloud over his head, why would a prestigious group of young men and old boys want back a maligned individual to lead them into destruction?

It is not recommended that while criminal investigations are ongoing into a questionable character's actions, he or she should come off suspension and go back to a job as if everything is business as usual. The JC body is even speaking for itself, several individuals, who remain unnamed, have come out to say that Mr. Robinson should retain the position as principal.

Some have blatantly said that "we do not want him back..."; "...after everything that has happened at the education ministry, would he have no shame if what I am hearing is true?"

Others have said that there would not be any peace at the Old Hope Road-based institution if Reid was to get back his job. "It would be an awkward situation" and he should "be smarter than that".

Well, this conversation is an ongoing one as investigations and discoveries are looming. Reid should, in fact, think about another career path in another country as the results of the investigations could sink his future. His reputation is already ruined and people see him as a 'thief', mistrustful and corrupt former government official, former president of Jamaica Teachers' Association in 2005 and former Munroe College old boy and teacher.

Lay low Reid, until another saga comes forth and yours is like a needle in a haystack of mayhem.