Below is a letter to Education Minister Andrew Holness from Dr Blossom O'Meally-Nelson, resigning as pro-chancellor of the University of Technology.

Dear Minister Holness:

I write to tender my resignation as pro-chancellor and chairman of the council of the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica, effective immediately.

In our telephone conversation on November 21, 2007, I had indicated to you that I thought it was unfair that I should be asked to resign in the absence of any fully articulated cause for my doing so. Furthermore, my term of office would expire in March 2009 and I was not seeking reappointment. You indicated that you would get back to me.

Letter in hand

Having not heard from you, I reported to the council meeting held on December 10, 2007, that I had had no further word from the minister of education on the status of council members. I now have in hand your letter of November 12, 2007 thanking me for my services to UTech. The letter was delivered today along with another letter, dated January 14, 2008, apologising for my not having received the letter of November 12, 2007 before now.

The turn of events is indeed unfortunate, and this resignation letter comes after our conversation on Sunday, January 13, 2008, during which we both noted tha the process for the removal of a pro-chancellor/chairman of council, as stipulated in the University Act, was not followed, no good purpose would be served by prolonging the embarrassing and untenable situation which now obtains. It is against this background that I tender my resignation.

Useful dialogue

I thank you for allowing time for the useful dialogue which we have had on the matter of my resignation and on other issues related to the university. I must express my disappointment that the alleged conflicts between the president and myself were not raised at the level of council, or at least privately with me, as this would at least have afforded me an understanding of the basis of the complaints to you and an opportunity to respond to them.

It is my view that officers of the university should not be regarded as political appointments and should not be subject to change with a change in Government. I do hope that the council, as it continues to document policies and procedures related to governance, will take care to have this fully and unequivocally stated.

I trust that as the new pro-chancellor/chairman takes up office, that the appropriate diligence will be observed in relation to the conduct of the administration and the need for compliance with the rules and regulations governing public bodies, of which the university is one. I also trust that no time will be lost in strengthening the financial function of the university and that fiscal prudence will underpin the decisions for expenditure. I have enclosed the internal audit report, a copy of which you requested in your letter of November 12, 2007.

It has been an honour to serve the Government of Jamaica over the last 17 years, first as chairman of the College of Arts, Science and Technology, and subsequently as pro-chancellor and chairman of the council of UTech, and I stand willing to provide advice and clarification on any matter on which the new pro-chancellor/chairman may find it useful to consult me.

Please accept my best wishes for every success in your tenure as minister of education.

Yours sincerely,

Blossom O'Meally-Nelson