Otto Sam to challenge transfer in Court

Otto Sam, the primary school Headteacher who was transferred to the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) last week, will be going to court to seek to have his transferred reviewed.{{more}}

Sam told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday, August 25, that his transfer to NEMO contravenes the terms and condition of his initial transfer from headteacher of the Lowmans Windward Anglican School to headteacher of the South Rivers Methodist School last September.

Sam said his lawyers will either file an injunction or apply for judicial review.

“It is not that you have a qualm,” Sam said. “It’s simply that we have been accepting (of) particular sets of behaviour and actions that are illegal and very unfortunate and somebody needs to challenge it,” he added.

Sam said that while his pay grade has not been affected by his transfer to NEMO, he does not have similar roles and responsibilities.

“I don’t have a position and there is really no possibility of fitting into a position with NEMO’s structure as it is,” he said.

Sam, a career teacher, said his transfer to NEMO is “a waste of the national human resource.”

“You really don’t have anything to do and it speaks about the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of those in authority,” Sam said.

He added: “If you are serious about disaster management, then you are going to put persons who could deal with it, and similarly if you are serious about education then you are going to let those who can carry education carry it.”

Sam said that the Lowmans Windward Anglican School still had no headteacher or acting headteacher and was yet to have a professional development week, even as school reopens on September 6.

“That in itself is a serious problem for poor people’s children. It doesn’t affect the politicians and the senior public servants who would sign onto a letter,” Sam said. (KXC)