PM Names New Board for UDC

Cabinet has approved the appointment of a new Board for the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).
This was announced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in the House of Representatives, yesterday (November 4).
The Board members are: Businessman and Chairman of Superplus Food Stores, Wayne Chen (Chairman); Managing Director of Paymaster Jamaica, Audrey Marks (Deputy Chairman); Managing Director of Ammars Limited, Michael Ammar Jnr.; Financial analyst and banker, Lennox Elvy; Attorney-at-law, Daniella Gentles; Deputy Director of Tourism, Zachary Harding; Company Director, Jamaica Producers Group, Patsy Kelly; Business executive, Sally Porteous; Chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company, Robert Russell; Managing Director of T. Geddes Grant Distributors, and Engineer, Michael Subratie; Attorney-at-law, Tom Tavares-Finson; Dental Physician, Cleo Taylor; Chief Technical Director in the Office of the Prime Minister, Sancia Templer; and Engineer, Desmond Young.
Mr. Golding told the House that the integrity of the individual members of the former Board of the UDC was never in question, and that his decision to request their resignations did not in any way constitute a reflection on their character. He said, however, that after meeting with the Board on September 15, and after careful consideration, he had requested the members to tender their resignations.
The Prime Minister explained that this action was necessary, as a result of “deep divisions that had developed among the members of the Board, and the dysfunctional effect they were having on the management and operation of the Corporation.”
“The difficulties that had developed within the Board were entirely related to the manner in which the business of the Board was conducted, the way in which decisions were made and implemented, and the relationship between the Board and management. These difficulties, in my view, distracted the Board from pursuing vigorously the mandate of the Corporation and undermined its effectiveness,” he added.