The two-year secondment of Mr. Bernard Wattley, as Dean of Studies of the Anguilla Community College, has expired and he will return to his substantive post of Director of Library Services with effect from January 1, 2013.
Mr. Wattley, who performed his duties admirably, is a former Graduate Teacher at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School.He was then appointed Deputy Director, Human Resources (Management) at the Department of Public Administration. He was later moved to his present post of Director of Library Services in the Anguilla Public Service.
The Anguillian asked Mr. Wattley to comment on his role as Dean of Studies at the Community College. He said in part: “It was like a dream come true for me,” he replied. “In my estimation, this was made possible by my immediate superior, the Permanent Secretary, Education, whose initiative it was to offer me that opportunity to serve on secondment as Dean of Studies of the Anguilla Community College. I am eternally grateful for that.
“For the past two years, I gave it my best. I gave my best to the team, to the faculty and to the students. It was an exciting time. It was exciting to be part of some new developments in education locally, but the reality is that my assignment comes to an end on 31st December. Following my vacation, which I am presently on, I will revert to my substantive post of Director of Library Services in the Anguilla Public Service.”
Mr.Wattley, who said he would always cherish his secondment to the Community College, told this newspaper that he was looking forward, with a certain amount of enthusiasm, to resuming his post. He added that he would endeavour to move the Anguilla Library Services forward as he had tried to do during the years he had been there.
President of the Community College, Professor Delroy Louden, with whom Mr.Wattley had a close working relationship, commented: “Secondment is the order of the day in many places. Dean Wattley served for two years and we are obviously very grateful for his service. He knew the students very well and he had good linkages to the community; he had linkages to Radio Anguilla; so he had good linkages where we could benefit along the way. He has been able to encourage a lot of people to come to the college because he taught many of them who have gone on all to other things, and now want to improve their education.
“Towards the end, he was greatly involved with Derek Gumbs in getting the Electrical Installation Programme going for us, and he also worked on the Ageing Programme which we have had with the Nursing Homes facilities, so that persons interested in looking after the elderly go through a training programme which we started in January of this year.”
Professor Louden said that Mr.Wattley would continue to serve as a lecturer at the college. “He has always taught Social Studies, and so forth, and if this secondment is going to be a rotation, we would want to see other persons come and also get the experience. This is our first tertiary education institution on the island so we need as much support as possible. If we can make sure that people with a variety of experience are seconded to serve the college, it would be better for them in terms of their personal growth. It would also be good for the college at the same time.”
Meanwhile, Professor Louden welcomed Dr. Leroy Hill, the Community College’s new Director for Humanities and Education, who had been serving in the Comprehensive School system for a number of years.
“Dr. Hill has taken over the college’s Postgraduate Diploma Programme for teachers,” Professor Louden continued. “He is also excellent in technology so he is helping us in getting the college’s website finally established; and making sure that the college becomes tech-savvy in all our programmes and in all the linkages. It all helps us to use technology to advance as much as possible many of our programmes and that has been a Godsend. We look forward to this productive relationship and that it will continue to grow.”
