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Ambassador Shyne Slams President Sapnah
posted (August 21, 2018)
About 5 weeks ago, we showed you our interview with Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber, who was discussing the appointment of Sapnah Budrani who is now the president and administrator of NICH. There have been quite a number of complaints about her management style, and there are those who have suggested that she is not qualified to hold two of the most senior posts in that organization.

Her critics were complaining that it was improper for her to be the acting president of NICH, while still holding the post of administrator, because she would be accounting to herself for decisions which also included finances.

Her ministerial boss, Deputy PM Faber, attempted to put those concerns to rest when he came out in full support of her leadership. He even suggested that part of the grumbling about her also included personalities who were attempting to undermine her leadership.

Among those who disapproved of Budrani's double role, and her rise to the NICH Presidency was Music Ambassador Shyne Barrow. We saw a strongly worded email he sent to her back July. In that email, he asserted that she was, quote, "incapable of managing NICH as both President and Administrator.

Faber had told the press that Budrani would be appointed as President, and that a new administrator would be identified. So, when we caught up with Shyne at another event today, we asked him if he was satisfied with the changes. Here's how that conversation went:

Shyne Barrow - Music Ambassador
"I do think that it is inappropriate that you have a president, who is also the administrator. I think for checks and balances, for accountability and transparency, it is important that those roles be separated. In fact, that is why it was structured like that, to begin with. So certainly, you can't have the CFO be the CEO, be the President, be everything. And certainly, there have been very many concerns raised by different executives as to the operations of NICH. Certainly, my biggest concern is the fact that to date, I've not gotten a commitment from Ms. Budrani with the Garifuna Collective going to WOMEX. I actually sent her an email over a month ago, and she responded to me finally last Friday. I sent her an email in June; she responded to me last Friday. So, that gives me great concern. I've done a tremendous amount of work for the creative industry, for the music industry in particular. People like Karen Vernon and Greg Vernon and Neill Hall, they've all done a tremendous amount of work, and we just hate to see that reversed. So, my letter was not for public consumption. It was to try to raise the issues that I raised in hopes that they would be taken seriously, and be considered, and we would have had a way forth. But, the way forward has been to just not respond to me. And I don't think that demonstrates leadership capacity. And so, my concerns and questions have not been disproven."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"The last time we brought this topic up to the Deputy Prime Minister, who is in charge of the ministry under which NICH falls, he said plain and straight that the President enjoys his confidence as a leader and administrator of this organization. Are you concerned that maybe the issues you're raising to challenge his assertions will be taken wrongly?"

Shyne Barrow
"His judgment has not always been reliable. So, let me start with that. As far as what may come of this, we stand up for what we believe in, and I believe that the creative industry is getting shortchanged. Certainly, I believe that whoever is going to lead NICH needs to be held accountable."

We spoke with Budrani this evening via telephone, who told us that she is prepared to respond tomorrow.

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