JAMAICA | Ruel Reid Resigns as Principal of Jamaica College

KINGSTON, Jamaica. November 20, 2021 -  The Board of Management  of Jamaica College is now at liberty to appoint Mr Wayne Robinson as principal of the institution as the embattled former principal Mr. Ruel Reid has tendered his resignation as principal of the school.

A joint statement from Jamaica College and the former principal said Reid had indicated that following the talks, it was agreed that he would demit office as of November 20, consequent upon today's expiration of the special leave that was granted for him to join the Andrew Holness Cabinet.

“Mr Reid was granted special leave by the Ministry of Education Youth and Information to pursue his ministerial duties. This special leave expired on the 20th of November, 2021 and this meant that Mr Reid was contractually obligated to return to work as the school's principal. Nonetheless, an agreement has been reached for Mr Reid to demit office as of the 20th of November, 2021,” the statement said.

“It is our view that this agreement is in the best interest of the parties and more importantly it will allow Jamaica College to focus exclusively on its mandate. Mr Reid has signalled his unbroken support for Jamaica College and the acting principal Mr Wayne Robinson and wishes the school every success,” the statement added. 

Reid was granted special leave by the Ministry of Education Youth and Information in 2016 to pursue his ministerial duties. The leave expired on Saturday,  which meant that Reid was contractually obligated to return to work as the school's principal.

Reid along with the  former president of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), Professor Fritz Pinnock, are before the courts in a multimillion-dollar fraud case, which also involves Reid's wife, Sharen, daughter, Sharelle and Councillor for the Brown's Town Division in St Ann, Kim Brown-Lawrence.

He resigned as minister in March 2019 after he was implicated in allegations that involved fraudulent activities at both the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the CMU.

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