(Jamaica Observer) The dispute between Jamaica College (JC) and two of its past students who have been warned to stop making public statements about developments at the high school, spawned by the Ruel Reid controversy, took a new twist late last week that could prolong the imbroglio.
An alliance of old boys from Calabar High School, JC, Kingston College (KC), Cornwall College, Munro College, St George’s College, and Wolmer’s Boys’ School has chided the JC board for issuing a cease and desist call on Major Basil Jarrett and Collin Greenland, adding that both men’s loyalty to JC was indisputable.
“Unquestionably, these are two gentlemen who have nothing but love for their alma mater; and both have backed this up with selfless yeoman service, over many years, particularly in the alumni and parent-teacher association at Jamaica College. Both men have also underscored their ultimate belief in and dedication to their school by sending their sons to JC, especially when the rest of us, in our usual banter, would teasingly suggest that, in the Corporate Area, better options exist for our Fervet friends on both sides of North Street, on Red Hills Road and at Heroes’ Circle,” the alliance wrote in a letter to the Jamaica Observer.
“Not many of their detractors themselves can make that claim, with Major Jarrett himself going as far as to name his only son after the institution. That act of devotion ought not to be taken lightly, and to suggest that these men would try to harm their alma mater is preposterous and possibly malicious,” added the alliance.
The cease and desist call was issued by JC on November 30 as public controversy swirled around the issue of Reid’s possible return to the high school as principal after the education ministry rejected a recommendation from the school board for a five-year extension of special leave granted to Reid in March 2016 to serve as education minister.
However, on November 20, the day that the leave was set to expire, Reid and the school board issued a joint release advising of his immediate resignation.
Reid remains before the court, having been arrested in October 2019 along with his wife Sharen, their daughter Sharelle, Jamaica Labour Party Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence, and Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock.
