Karl Samuda, Minister with oversight for Education, Youth and Information, says his ministry is currently putting together recommendations for a new council for the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU).

In a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, he said that those names will be provided to the Cabinet on Monday, January 27, and once approved, the new council will hold its first meeting the following week.

Chairman of the council, Hyacinth Bennett tendered her resignation with immediate effect on Monday, amid deepening controversy surrounding the university’s operations and its president, Fritz Pinnock, who is now facing multiple criminal charges.

The report from a special audit on the CMU and the Education Ministry carried out by Auditor General’s Department has exposed multiple damning findings on the operations of the ministry regarding massive expenditure and procedural and reporting breaches.

On Tuesday, Samuda, in his statement, did not speak to the findings of the report, limited copies of which were circulated at the sitting of the House of Representatives.

“I wish to assure the Parliament that contrary to reports circulating in the media, there are no challenges currently in the day-to-day management of the university,” Samuda said.

He said that over the last 10 months, the Ministry has implemented a framework for the close monitoring and assessment of the operations of the university on a monthly basis.