JLP deputy general secretary applies for NSWMA top job

An executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is to be appointed in less than two weeks, according to the chairman of the agency's board, Dennis Chung.

He said the new executive director of the company will be held to the performance standards set out by the board.

Deputy general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, Audley Gordon, has confirmed information reaching The Gleaner that he has applied for the top job at the state agency.

He has asked for a temporary leave of absence from the position in the JLP to pursue his interest in the job at NSWMA.

In a Gleaner interview, Gordon said he was an unapologetic member of the JLP, but noted that he was qualified for the job.

Gordon said he led two successful road campaigns that brought Bruce Golding and Andrew Holness to Jamaica House.

In addition, Gordon said he has successfully run a prison volunteer organisation, managing 700 volunteers, locally, for the past 20 years.

Chung said yesterday that he was to review an email he received from the external search agency, which conducted the initial interview for the post.

He said a shortlist will be sent to the Human Resource Committee, which will conduct interviews with applicants. Following this exercise, the board will forward a list of three persons to the minister of local government who, will make a recommendation to the NSWMA board.

Post open to anyone

The NSWMA chairman said it had come to his attention that Gordon had an interest in the job. He said, Gordon, like any other Jamaican, could apply for the vacant post.

"We want to make sure that anybody who comes is capable of carrying out the functions required. Once appointed, we will be holding them to the performance standards we expect from that position," he stressed.

Chung argued that if Gordon is chosen by the HR committee and the minister, that would be the prerogative of the Government, but the NSWMA would insist that whomever gets the job should be held to high performance standards.

He said there were other management positions at the NSWMA to be filled. "One of the things the board wants to look at is a deputy executive director because we think that the capacity is needed in the organisation."

However, he explained that the post of deputy executive director would have to be established with permission from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.