Dr. Santos Mahung’s future at UB in limbo
Dean Barrow
Controversy continues to loom at the University of Belize over the future of its president, Dr Santos Mahung. There have been statements made by the Ministry of Education, a UB faculty member and students. While we have not heard from Mahung, PM Dean Barrow weighed in today on the ongoing wrangling. But to get a perspective on the issue that has been plaguing the university for many months, on January thirtieth the Board of Trustees of UB wrote to the Prime Minister recommending Mahung’s termination. A copy of the letter obtained by News Five shows that several allegations were made including failure to perform duties that were prescribed under the University of Belize Act as well as gross misconduct. The latter stems from faculty and student uprisings in October of last year regarding a salary freeze. While Mahung presented to the board financial changes that would reflect a wage freeze he allegedly did not disclose information on monies that were held in various accounts. The Board complained that funds, approximately five million dollars, were not declared to the board of trustees or its subcommittees. When interviewed Mahung’s response was that he was unaware of the unencumbered funds.
According to the board, Mahung’s excuse was unacceptable as he has had oversight of UB’s financial systems and its accounting department since November thirtieth of 2007. The board of trustees also point out in their letter a difference of one point three million dollars between the draft independent audit report for the academic year ending July 2008 and the year-end report provided by the institution for the year ending July 2009. Those and other issues were formally brought to the prime minister’s attention earlier this year and via phone P.M. Barrow told News Five that resolving this issue will be lengthy.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“The substance of the allegation was communicated to Dr. Mahung by me. I sent him a copy of the allegations and asked him to kindly respond to those allegations in writing. He has done that and I am now in the process of looking at the cases on both sides and trying to determine whether in fact the allegations are made out. Whether there is sufficient basis of which I can advise the Governor General that Dr. Mahung ought to be terminated.”
Isani Cayetano
“Do you know when his contract is expiring?”
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I can’t recollect off hand and I also can’t tell you how soon I will be finished with what I am supposed to do. It’s a lot of bulky documentation submitted by both sides and I will have to find the time to be able to try to go through this mountain of evidence as carefully as I can so as to attempt to do justice. So I’m not going to put any timeline on this at all.”
Prime Minister Barrow after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition is vested to recommend the dismissal of the UB president to the Governor General under an existing clause in Mahung’s employment contract. News Five attempted to get a reaction from Dr. Mahung but our call was unanswered. The board also charges that Dr. Mahung acted against its approval in January of this year when he individually decided to hold a commencement ceremony in which two hundred and seventeen students graduated without the overall consent of the board. Prime Minister Barrow told News Five that he is unaware of that situation or the validity of the degrees issued.
