The board of the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) has officially terminated the contract of its president Dr Carson Charles.
Following a meeting with Nidco’s chairman, Herbert George, and department heads yesterday, Charles’ was paid off for the remainder of his three-year contract which was expected to end next July. Vice-president of engineering, Steve Garibsingh, the most senior executive member, special purpose state enterprise, will assume his duties.
Nidco announced the termination via a media release, stating: “The National Infrastructure Development Company Limited, further to a board of directors meeting, wished to announce the termination of Dr Carson Charles as the company’s president with immediate effect. The organisation would like to thank Dr Charles for his contribution made at Nidco during his five-year tenure as president.”
Corporate communications manager, Ingrid Ishmael, clarified the Charles’ tenure ended through an amicable termination of contract. This means his contract was mutually agreed on by him and the board of directors.
“Today was the last day for Dr Carson Charles as president of Nidco. I will tell you that vice-president of engineering Steve Garibsingh will assume duties as president until further notice. Under the bylaws, there is no acting president so he is just assuming the duties.
“This decision was taken today at a meeting with the heads of department, the vice-president and the managers, myself included. It was a very amicable decision and all wished each other the best, a merry Christmas and season’s greetings.
“Dr Charles has been a fantastic person in his post. He thanked us for working together as a team and he wanted us to ensure that all the projects that Nidco had in the pipeline and implemented continue,” Ishmael said.
Charles was appointed as president of Nidco in 2010, two months after the People’s Partnership government was elected into government.
He served two consecutive terms (2010-2013 and 2013 to yesterday) and oversaw Nidco’s largest project from inception, the controversial $7.5 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway extension project. Despite his departure, Ishmael said the new board is able to continue and improve the work being done.
Board wanted contract terminated
Although Charles agreed to have his contract terminated, this was done after the newly-installed board of directors told him that they wanted to do so in a meeting earlier this month. Speaking by telephone, he said since then, there were several briefings on Nidco’s projects and operations and the handing over of duties to Garibsingh.
He added: “It was not a resignation, it was an agreement to end my contract on the basis of an amicable arrangement. My contract was due to expire in six months time and they basically paid me off for the six-month period so there was an amicable termination of the contract, which the contract provides for.”
“The board indicated that they wished to end the contract at a board meeting they held on December 15. We had several meetings, I met with the chairman several times and I met with the board on the 15. After the 15, they offered a severance, there was a briefing and handing over. It went well with me, I had no problem with it as they were professional.”
No objection
Charles said he has no objection to the board wanting new leadership. As political leader of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), he said he understood that with a change of government, they would want to do things differently.
He said he was satisfied with the way his departure was carried out and had no regrets about his tenure. He said he did his job and even though it was full of challenges, it was equally exciting and rewarding.
“I have no objections. It allows for the new adminstration to proceed with their business in whatever fashion they wish. Given my high political profile as the NAR leader, I have no objections the way in which we were amicably able to end the contract and hand over.
“We had a lot of opportunity for briefing and preparation of reports on the way forward for our major project, the highway.
They have clear indication on how to proceed with works that have to be done to complete the highway.”
Going forward, Charles said he planned to continue his political career and pay more attention to growing the NAR while pursuing some private business interests.