Attorney not in favour of PAAC decision to hear from sex assault victim at Edna Manley College
At least one attorney is not in favour of the decision by Parliament’s Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) to allow an alleged victim of sexual harassment at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts to appear before it next week.
Clyde Williams asserts that the decision is wrong and out of the PAAC’s jurisdiction.
In an interview with RJR News Thursday morning, he argued that the hearing at the PAAC could interfere with other investigations into the matter, therefore, the committee should “find a way to decline next week in advance.”
He further suggested that the PAAC recommends a joint select committee be set up to examine issues of sexual harassment at the workplace, and after investigations are complete, invite the alleged victims to speak generally on the advice of an attorney.
Nothing wrong
PAAC Chairman Dr. Wykeham McNeill has defended the decision to have the alleged victim speak in-camera.
In an interview with RJR News Thursday morning, Dr. McNeill said the PAAC acted within its remit, which is “to look at public administration as well as to look at appropriations, which is the government’s spending.”
“Now, in a case like this where you have an issue affecting public institutions, a serious thing like sexual harassment, we have to investigate whether or not the rules governing it and the treatment when these cases appear, whether or not we agree with them; we need to be able to give suggestions as to what can be done to strengthen them. All of these things firmly fall under the PAAC in terms of its mandate for public administration,” he insisted.
He said the in-camera hearing will not be about the allegations at Edna Manley College but the problem of sexual harassment.
First hearing complete
The first hearing into allegations of sexual harassment against a lecturer at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts has been completed.
Marigold Harding, chairman of the school’s board, on Thursday morning told RJR News that a report has been received from the personnel committee which heard the complaint.
The report is to be submitted to the board on July 10.
Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting of the PAAC, the college’s principal, Dr. Nicholeen DeGrasse Johnson, said the personnel committee will meet this week with their findings, after which they will make recommendations to the board, call an emergency board meeting, then submit the recommendations on the findings to the minister.
Dr. DeGrasse Johnson said the college has taken steps to strengthen its policies to prevent a recurrence of the matter
Institutionalized culture of silence and cover up is what is happening at Edna Manley!!it is so systematic that there are efforts to resist the dismantling of it,but what bout the victims,how can protecting school image come before JUSTICE for the abused!!?
Edna Manley mus a turn ina har grave