Robert Gregory, the most recent casualty as the Government continues to weed out state-owned company executives in an extensive personnel shake-up since assuming office, says he is not angry following his recent dismissal from the trade and investment promotions agency, Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI).

The outspoken, seasoned public-sector manager has not said much since his sacking by the JTI board late last month. He told Wednesday Business this week that he has moved on.

"That is in the past tense. It is unfortunate," he said.

Gregory says he has since received job offers but will not be making any hasty decisions about his next career move.

"I'm taking a couple weeks off, just to clear my head but (whatever I do next) will be what I want to do," Gregory said.

Following Gregory's axing by the JTI board, Karl Samuda, the industry and commerce minister, has been the one fielding media queries on the matter amid silence from the board.

Samuda, who did not divulge the reasons for Gregory's dismissal, said the former agency head had six months to go under the terms of his contract. He said, however, that the board felt it was best to terminate the services of the former JTI president before the end of the period.

Gregory headed the JTI since 2007. Before that appointment, he was executive director of the HEART Trust/NTA for 15 years.

Top job

Sancia Templer, a former deputy to Gregory, has since been was given the top JTI job. Despite having acted as president immediately before Gregory joined the agency, Templer was passed over for the top job.

She served as deputy president until February 2008, when she was seconded to the National Planning Summit Monitoring Unit located in the prime minister's office.

The unit was created to ensure that policy initiatives agreed under the private/public sector consultations held last November would be operationalised.

Before she joined the public sector, Templer headed the GraceKennedy subsidiary, International Shipping Limited.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com