Fired Clico chairman Gerald Yetming is pointing fingers at Central Bank and its Governor Jwala Rambarran saying they have questions to answer regarding his and managing director Carolyn John’s dismissal over the controversial payment of more than $36 million to former directors of the company.
The former finance minister also accused the governor of having an agenda.
He said Central Bank officers at the highest level fell down on their jobs and now wanted to take the heat off themselves after participating in the meticulous planning of this payout with John as MD.
He said Clico did everything step by step in accord with the protocols and processes that the two sides agreed to and he found it curious that the governor was now saying they had stepped out of line.
In a telephone interview with Radio I 95.5FM yesterday, Yetming said he believed the governor acted on his own and that he was satisfied Minister of Finance Larry Howai had absolutely nothing to do with their dismissal.
Yetming said as a non-executive chairman, he received a letter from the governor giving certain directives about the resolution of the Clico matters, which he passed on to John. He said John and the technocrats from the Central Bank took over and worked out the details, but officers at the highest level of the Central Bank fell down on their jobs by not ensuring the governor’s instructions were being followed, as no one initially said a word after payments were made to the directors, as well as to 1,500 others.
“The point I am making is that the Central Bank officers, at the highest level, senior officers, fell down on the job and instead of the governor taking a turn in their tail for having failed in their duty, they used Yetming and Carolyn John as scapegoats.”
Yetming, who is still out of the country, also defended his and John’s position saying they did nothing wrong.
He also criticised the manner in which they were dismissed, saying it was rather unprofessional, insensitive and dishonest.
He said while on his way out of the country he got a call from a driver who said he had a letter to deliver to him from the governor. The letter, which said one thing, was subsequently sent to him by email, but he was flabbergasted when the Central Bank made a later statement saying he and John had been fired.
“Carolyn John’s situation is different. She was an employee engaged by the Central Bank to go into Clico to operate as MD and therefore when you consider the fundamental practices of good employee relations and good industrial relations, you don’t give a lady a letter saying you are re-evaluating and behind her back say she is fired.”
He said she should have been told if there was an issue and given an opportunity to explain.
“John has what I consider to be an open and shut case to file an action against the Central Bank.” He added both Rambarran and the head of Human Resources would have to answer before a court when a case was filed.