Former UTT professor gets info on ex-boss’s salary

A FORMER assistant professor at the University of TT has received information he sought about the remuneration package of the current president of the university.

Dr Kumar Mahabir asked for the information in a freedom of information request on November 12, .

On December 12 and March 6, the university refused to release the information and Mahabir approached the High Court for relief in a judicial review application.

In it, Mahabir said as a former assistant professor in the Centre for Education, his employment was terminated on May 11, 2018, because of the university’s financial status. He said he was dismayed by the reason given to him, especially in light of the appointment of a new president.

In his request for information, Mahabir asked for the basic monthly salary paid to Prof Sarim Al-Zubaidy, president of the UTT; other monthly allowances; whether his salary was paid in US dollars and the estimated date when the 287 non-teaching staff members would be retrenched.

The UTT, in response, told Mahabir his request for Zubaidy’s salary and other monthly allowances was exempt under section 30(1) of the Freedom of Information Act.

However, in its reply to Mahabir’s attorneys Anand Ramlogan, SC, Alvin Pariagsingh and Che Dindial, the university’s senior manager of its legal unit said notwithstanding the UTT’s previous position that the information was exempt, as there was no overriding public interest warranting disclosure of personal information, the university had decided to provide the information to avoid unnecessary litigation.

According to the UTT’s correspondence, the current president receives a salary of $55,000, with a housing allowance of $12,600 and travel allowance of $12,000.

He also gets a mobile allowance of $8,250 and a settling-in allowance in the same amount.

He will also receive a gratuity of 20 per cent of his base salary on the completion of his contract.

His salary is in TT dollars.

Mahabir’s matter came up for hearing before Justice Nadia Kangaloo in the San Fernando High Court yesterday, and she was told the university had provided the information.

The judge ordered UTT to pay the former professor’s legal costs.