Toll Authority boss ‘more than qualified for the position’ – Transport Ministry
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Transport and Mining is rejecting as misleading, media reports that Lerone Laing, a former adviser to portfolio Minister Robert Montague, was selected to head the Toll Authority despite not meeting the minimum requirements for the job.
In a release, the Transport Ministry said Laing met the required competencies for the post in question, noting that he holds a Master of Science Degree in Economics with distinction and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science with Upper Second Class Honours. The ministry added that Laing had three years’ experience at the mid-manager level at the time of his application.
It said Laing, having knowledge of laws and transport issues, direct experience as an economist and environmental awareness, was first selected to serve as “interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Toll Authority in October 2019 for an initial period of six months, following the resignation of the then CEO and against the background of the Toll Authority being among the Public Sector entities slated at that time for rationalization.”
The release added that Laing was chosen from a pool of 10 applicants, two of whom were shortlisted for the post. It further states that “given the uncertainty of tenure within the context of the expected rationalization process, Mr Laing was considered the more suitable of the two” and said that the choice was solely based on Laing’s “qualifications, experience and competencies.”
It went on to state that the minimum qualifications for the post are that the candidate should hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration or relevant discipline and reiterated that against that background, Laing was “more than qualified for the position.”
According to the statement, as the person selected to do the job, Laing was paid what is attached to the post, “a salary range of $3,032,763.00 to $3,605,002.00 per annum, with travelling allowance of $1,697,148.00 per annum if in possession of a motor vehicle or $678,864.00 per annum without a motor vehicle.” It went on to add that following assessments of Laing’s performance by the Toll Authority, his six months contract was extended to a year in April 2020.
“The fact that Mr Laing served as advisor to the Minister of Transport and Mining between March 2018 and September 2019, has nothing to do with the reality that he emerged as the most suitable candidate after a standard selection process and is therefore serving as the CEO of the Toll Authority as a result of that selection,” the ministry said.
“The Ministry of Transport and Mining reassures its partners and the wider public that its processes and operations, as well as those of the Toll Authority are above board, and will remain so,” added the ministry.