Local animator Camille Selvon-Abrahams has denied she used the University of T&T (UTT) software to make a milk advertisement for a company of which she is a director. Selvon-Abrahams refuted the claim one week after UTT failed to renew her contract as programme director and lead lecturer in animation at the university.
It was UTT’s human resource department decision to not renew Selvon-Abrahams’ contract because her function, should she stay, would change to that of a teacher. On August 7, Selvon-Abrahams dismissed that Full Circle Animation Studio, a company she founded in 2002, of which she is a director used UTT’s software to make the Moo milk advertisement.
She said then that the advertisement was made at the studio’s Caroni office and not UTT’s John Donaldson Port-of-Spain campus. “I never used their (UTT) software at all. Never. That is to be corrupt. It’s fraud,” Selvon-Abrahams said. She said the studio, which focuses on animation, new-media production and training has far more superior equipment than UTT’s.
“Their equipment (UTT) is not suitable for production. Why would I go to John D to do an ad when there is a functioning, state-of-the-art studio at Caroni?” She said the studio was a reputable company that did work for Caricom and Unesco. “I am not about politics,” she said.
Asked if being a UTT employee and a director of the studio was a conflict of interest, Selvon-Abrahams said when UTT interviewed her for the job in 2008, she declared the studio up front with then president of the university Prof Ken Julien, who did not object. However, three years later, questions were raised about the studio under UTT’s acting president Rodney Jagai being a conflict of interest.
Selvon-Abrahams said she had to face a UTT panel, who questioned her for 90 minutes about the studio and its operations. “The matter was eventually dropped. It wasn’t seen as a conflict of interest. These sorts of accusations are not new.” She said numerous letters were sent to UTT requesting an audience with its board based on allegations raised.
“But it was totally ignored.” The latest coming out of UTT is Selvon-Abrahams being selected last July by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) to formulate a draft syllabus for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) for the subject animation and game design. Selvon-Abrahams said UTT was notified by CXC of her appoint and her functions and responsibilities.
Was this too seen as a conflict of interest? “What is wrong with a UTT member being selected for input in a ground-breaking CXC syllabus? I should have been celebrated for this, not vilified.” She insisted that she was not paid by CXC for her services, but received a small stipend which covered her hotel expenses.
CXC also paid for her flight. If UTT felt it would have been a conflict of interest, Selvon-Abrahams said they could have forwarded a letter to CXC and “told them no.” She said this was not done. “I have all my letters to show...all this will come out in court. I am baffled.” Questioned if she used expletives when told that her contract would not be renewed, Selvon-Abrahams said: “Those words cannot come out of my mouth. I was angry and disappointed. I don’t use expletives.”
She, however, admitted that she refused to hand over UTT’s computer and pushed her chair after four strapped men approached her desk to escort her out of UTT’s compound. Selvon-Abrahams said if UTT had followed due process “this could have been avoided. I do believe because I stood up against them I am here today.”
Though Selvon-Abrahams is still on UTT’s payroll, she has been offered several animation jobs, some of which are regionally and internationally. “For me this is not about a job. It’s about principle and sustainability of the sector. I have a choice and I am going to be seriously considering my future.”