By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2021 – While doing research for an article I was preparing to write on the death of the Rev. Dr. J. Emmette Weir, I found a letter to the editor of The Nassau Guardian written by Rev. Dr. Weir in which he commented on a statement supposedly made by Dr. Rodney Smith, President of the University of The Bahamas (UB), that he “will not seek the renewal of his contract when it expires in 2022, precisely because there is no provision for a pension.”
In the letter published earlier this year, on March 11, Rev. Dr. Weir incredulously proclaims, “What? Do you mean to tell me this highly educated, experienced and competent ‘son of the Bahamian soil’, who, having presided over the transition of our premier institution from collegiate to university status, would, at age 70, have to seek employment abroad simply because no pension is provided, so that he may retire with dignity and decorum in his homeland?”
Rev. Dr. Weir further argues that it is a fundamental principle of social justice not to allow anyone who has occupied a high and prestigious office to descend after demitting office into a state of “struggle to make ends meet!”
“Isn’t this precisely why we (the Bahamian taxpayers) provide an annual allowance of $70,000-plus perks to the person who has served in the highest ceremonial office of governor general of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas upon retirement?” Rev. Dr. Weir writes.
Given the outstanding job Dr. Smith has done in providing presidential leadership to The Bahamas’ premier educational institution, I decided to share Rev. Dr. Weir’s excellent letter, posthumously, with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE. Without question, I fully agree with Rev. Dr. Weir’s contention that this matter must be “of grave concern to all Bahamians” and surely merits the most urgent consideration of “the powers that be!”
LETTER TO THE NASSAU GUARDIAN
Published March 11, 2021
UNDER THE HEADING: THE PRESIDENT OF UB OUGHT TO BE PENSIONABLE
Dear Editor,
The revelation that the prestigious and highly responsible post of president of The University of The Bahamas is not pensionable is at once amazingly surprising and utterly astounding!
For, according to his own word, the incumbent, Dr. Rodney Smith, has stated that he will not seek the renewal of his contract when it expires in 2022, precisely because there is no provision for a pension.
What? Do you mean to tell me this highly educated, experienced and competent “son of the Bahamian soil”, who, having presided over the transition of our premier institution from collegiate to university status, would, at age 70, have to seek employment abroad simply because no pension is provided, so that he may retire with dignity and decorum in his homeland?
Must this not be a matter of grave concern to all Bahamians? Surely, it merits the most urgent consideration of “the powers that be!”
As I reflected profoundly on this situation, I could not help remembering how a close relative, many years ago, was in one like it.
You see, my dearly beloved cousin, the late Lillian Weir-Coakley, gave many years of service to our young nation as the librarian at the Southern Public Library.
When in the year 1948 she graduated from Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, with her bachelor’s degree in sociology, I daresay that you could count on your fingers the number of Bahamians who had earned academic degrees!
With such an educational background, she could have easily obtained a prestigious and lucrative post at a tertiary educational institute abroad. Instead, she elected to return here “to serve her Bahamian people,” for she was very patriotic.
Hers was no nine to five job, as she stayed at the library often going beyond the call of duty. You see, in those days, before the most excellent Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, then a young dynamic statesman, took the initiative “in electrifying the community of Over-the-Hill students who couldn’t do homework at home because they had no light”, would study at the library until it closed at 9 p.m.
Mrs. Coakley stayed at the library until they went home. Many prominent citizens of our beloved Bahamaland, including Hon. Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Hon. Alfred Sears and Ms. Rosalie Fawkes, veteran educator, greatly benefited from her disciplined supervision. Yes, she toiled long and hard imparting knowledge to her fellow Bahamians.
But alas! When the time drew nigh for her to retire, it became apparent that there was no provision for a pension for her. Yes, teachers, policemen, customs officers and prison wardens were all pensionable; but nothing for librarians.
Eventually, largely as a result of “the lobbying” and influence of Dr. Cleveland Eneas, special legislation was passed in the House of Assembly making the office of librarian pensionable as it is today!
After her passing, the Southern Public Library, where she served so many years, was renamed “The Lillian Weir-Coakley Library” in recognition of the contribution to the development of library services in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
It is submitted that a similar course of action is appropriate in the case of the president of The University of The Bahamas.
For it is ultra vires the fundamental principles of social justice to allow anyone who has occupied a high and prestigious office to descend after demitting office into a state of “struggle to make ends meet!”
Isn’t this precisely why we (the Bahamian taxpayers) provide an annual allowance of $70,000-plus perks to the person who has served in the highest ceremonial office of governor general of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas upon retirement? (See also II Kings 25:27-30) where the Babylonians, Israel’s arch enemies, procured a daily allowance for the dethroned king of Israel and permitted him to dine at the king’s table.
With regard to the amount of the president’s pension, it is germane to observe that economists now estimate that one needs about 75 percent of salary earned in order to retire with “dignity”.
In addition, there are often other perks to be provided at the discretion of the council.
Taking all factors into consideration, this is a matter which requires urgent and decisive action.
Yours in Christian bonds,
Rev. Dr. Emmette Weir,
Director, Bethany Bible & Training Institute,
Freeport, Grand Bahama
