THE College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) has parted company with its interim president, Dr Victor Watt, and has dismissed a rumour that the decision was made following a dispute.

A senior CASE official, when contacted by the Observer last Wednesday, confirmed that Dr Watt would no longer continue as interim president of the institution after serving the college for a year.

Dr Watt was seconded from the University of Technology (UTech) where he headed the Department of Engineering. He held a one-year contract as interim president of CASE, which is based on the outskirts of the Portland capital, Port Antonio.

Dr Watt, who once contested the internal People's National Party election in Central Westmoreland in 2006, which was won eventually by Paul Buchanan, who later gave it up to veteran politician Roger Clarke, is expected to return to his substantive post at UTech by next month.

Acting Chairman of the CASE Board of Management Barry Wahrmann told the Observer that Dr Watt was being replaced as part of the college's succession plan.

"He was on secondment to CASE for one year and we are at the end of that year," Wahrmann said.

"I wrote him a very nice letter, thanking him for his services, and I also wrote to the president of UTech, Professor Errol Morrison, expressing how grateful we are to UTech for seconding him to CASE for the year," the acting chairman added.

"Your achievements are legendary and it was most gracious of you to release Dr Watt for one year to assist our college. I am sure that he will return to his substantive post at your university, having benefi0ted from his sojourn at CASE," Wahrmann wrote to Prof Morrison, echoing sentiments expressed in an earlier letter to Dr Watt, dated July 25.

"We are appreciative of your efforts to further the progress of the institution on its forward drive to achieve university status. We hope for your continued success in your career path. You are a very brilliant engineer and we are sure that you will use your talents in the future upliftment of your country," Wahrmann wrote to Dr Watt.

In his letter to the UTech president, the acting board chairman thanked the legendary instutution for reaching out to CASE.

"Dr Watt's tenure will expire on August 31 and the succession plan is in progress. While the succession plan is taking place, I must express our sincerest gratitude to Dr Watt for the year he spent at the institution," Wahrmann said.

"The Board of Management will not be renewing his (Dr Watt's) contract and so is taking this opportunity to inform you. We recognise the tremendous work and outstanding achievements of your university, in bringing education to our young people," read the letter penned to Prof Morrison.

The acting chairman said that a temporary successor had been identified and would run the college until a permanent replacement is found.

"Regional director for the Ministry of Education's Region Six and former board member, Dr Mary Nichols will act as interim president from September, until a full-time president is found," Wahrmann said.

Dr Nichols is a veteran educator, whose job with the Ministry of Education covers the parishes of Clarendon and St Catherine.

"She is a fair woman who doesn't take nonsense from anyone," said one ministry of education official, describing Dr Nichols.

For the past week rumours surfaced that CASE's board of management was not pleased with the work done by Dr Watt during the last school year, and rather than extend the secondment, moved swiftly to sever ties.

"We were not that overwhelmed by his performance," was all Wahrmann was prepared to say on the matter.

Jaws dropped and eyes grew wide last October when Contractor General Greg Christie began to investigate a case of possible overspending at the college, after it was discovered that Dr Watt's installation ceremony had cost over $1 million.

Dr Watt, who served as a CASE board member for two years before he was appointed interim president, had replaced Dr Cecil Goodridge, a Cambridge University graduate, whose contract was not renewed.

Efforts to pose questions to Dr Watt on Wednesday regarding accusations about his tenure, were unsuccessful as his secretary said that he was unable to speak.

"What is it that you are calling about?" the secretary asked.

She was told the reason, after which there was a short break in the conversation.

"I am sorry, but the president is unable to take your call now," she eventually responded, apparently after having consulted someone.

A further effort to contact Dr Watt last Friday for him to react to the utterances proved unsuccessful, as he was said to be out of office. He also did not respond to a message left for him at the college.

CASE was formed in 1995 out of a merger between the College of Agriculture and the Passley Gardens Teachers' College.

Before that, there was the Jamaica School of Agriculture, which moved from the present location of the Police Academy in Twickenham Park, St Catherine, to Portland, and was later renamed the College of Agriculture in 1981.

Jamaica's first recognised agricultural training institution was the Jamaica Farm School, which was established in 1910 at the present site of the University of Technology.

CASE is set to introduce a Master's degree in agriculture starting next school year. Plans are also progressing to rename the institution after the outstanding Jamaican agriculturalist, Dr T P Lecky, who, among other things, developed the Jamaica Hope breed of cattle.

The name T P Lecky University of Tropical & Marine Agriculture has been proposed.

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