BAS maintains CEO retired, Paul pushes back

The Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) on Thursday insisted that chief executive officer James Paul retired on September 1, despite his repeated denials that he has left the post. BAS President Henderson Williams said the decision followed months of discussions with Paul. The development comes after Paul told Barbados TODAY that he has not retired and again said on Thursday morning that he remains in the post. But Williams said: “Mr Paul is retired. We had months of conversation with Mr Paul and effective the first of September, Mr Paul was retired.” He said Paul had not completed everything he should have done before that date, and the society continued working with him because he had agreed to assist with the transition. Williams said Paul received official letters concerning his retirement and had agreed to the arrangement at the time. “He agreed to all of that,” the president said. The board made the decision after being involved in discussions with Paul for months, and Paul had not raised any dissenting position up to his exit, Williams said. “He did indicate he would assist, continue to assist the organisation in a consultancy role, but then he didn’t submit the information based on what the board is asking to do. Williams continued: “The concern was not about his retirement. It was more about what was to come after,” he said, adding that the board had asked Paul to put his concerns in writing so they could be considered at a future meeting. Paul is 70 or 71 years old, past the retirement age set by the BAS at 67, Williams said. Asked about a successor, Williams said the board had deliberately not advertised the position while Paul was still occupying it. “The position of the board was not to have a situation where we advertise the position when somebody’s sitting there. That’s not our style.” Instead, BAS is reviewing its structure through consultations with staff and the heads of its commodity groups, with Williams saying the society needs to determine what is required now rather than simply maintaining a structure established more than two decades ago. “We wanted to look at all the presidents and the staff and make sure that when we put a structure in place that is fit for purpose,” Williams said. He said BAS is currently going through the annual general meetings of its six commodity groups, after which a new board will take office. The matter of the organisation’s structure and leadership will then be considered. Williams also acknowledged that BAS needs to modernise and improve its operations. “Unfortunately, over the last few years and months we have not been as efficient as we should.” He pointed to challenges with financial reports and wider issues with the society’s accounts and financial reporting, saying there were several matters that needed to be straightened out. Williams maintained that Paul’s departure had been cordial. “It wasn’t a situation where it was acrimonious, and to this day he’s still doing stuff to assist the process,” he said. When Barbados TODAY contacted Paul, he again denied being retired and said he had not received any official letter confirming his retirement. Paul had been at the helm of the society’s operations since 2001, succeeding long-standing general manager Haynesley Benn.