My response To CEO and The Chairman of The Port Board!

Rod Gale Follow Me

Posted this 2021-05-23 8:25 PM ADT

Good Day Everybody!

Believe it or not I've really tried to take a step back from CBRM politics and what happens in our municipality because:

1) I work all the time!

2) I find if I just do something myself to fix a problem; it's far more productive.

3) The stupidity and lack of common sense makes me crazy.

Having said that I must comment on Marlene Usher's interference and commentary on the decisions made by our elected officials regarding the port of Sydney's Board of Directors.

For those who don't know who Marlene Usher is, she's a career bureaucrat who was appointed CEO of the Port of Sydney by Cecil Clarke. It should be noted that before her appointment Usher had no experience in shipping or the running of a port or cruise ships. Well; maybe she was on a cruise? I have no idea...

Earlier this week Ms. Usher felt she needed to comment on CBRM'S council's decision to not re-appoint 2 of her allies to the Port's Board of Directors prime positions of Chair and Vice Chair. The Port's board in my opinion was in reality a bit of a farce that was used to rubber stamp Usher's agenda and really held no gravitas.

Since the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and in turn it's people are the Ports only shareholders and owners I think Council was well within their rights and duties to not re-appoint these two men to their positions if they saw fit.

Marlene Usher's commentary In my opinion is nothing more than sour grapes. She sees The Port as her private domain; where she alone knows what is best and the people who actually own the port and in turn its harbour have no place in saying what happens to it.

I say as a citizen of the CBRM and one of the shareholders and owners of this Port that it's time that my representatives; the duly elected councillors of this municipality replace Ms. Usher as CEO of the Port of Sydney with someone who doesn't feel as entitled to their position.

Yours Sincerely

Rod Gale

Posted by Rod Gale
Receive news by email and share your news and events for free on goCapeBreton.com
SHOW ME HOW

People Blogs & Opinions

Depth
Katherine Warner Follow Me 2021-05-24 6:50 AM ADT Reply 3 0 Break up the "study buddies"! Get rid of Marlene Usher and only find a replacement once there is actual work to be done! What has she done in the last year to earn her salary.....NOTHING!!!
Debbie Keating Follow Me 2021-05-24 9:09 AM ADT Reply 4 0 There seem to be more questions than answers for the all elusive port authority! If this board acted in the framework of any publicly funded representative body (yes, our council is the one shareholder of this organization!!) one could readily have answers without having to launch a five year freedom of information request! I would like to see every position surrounding the port defined. Do we not have a manager for cruise ships? Do we not have a complete administration team for managing the marine terminal? Then it becomes....exactly what is the role for the CEO and port board itself?? And how much is this costing us....for what?? If Council is the shareholder, they have the right as OUR representatives to be asking these questions in a time when we are weighing priorities and investing in our future. We need all port expenses on the books to be scrutinized by shareholders....that would be the public!! We need all meetings to not only have minutes, but be open to those shareholders....and that would be the public!!! Councillors need to step up and ask these questions. Release the information in the FOIPOP that was ordered by the privacy commissioner. All of it. Expose the mistakes of the past and move forward. We might just be able to find that necessary funding to move forward with our wonderful library project on the waterfront. Margaret Young Follow Me 2021-05-26 2:10 PM ADT Reply 0 0 Yes, there are more questions than answers -- but what excellent questions! What are the qualifications, roles and responsibilities of our office holders? Who is responsible for what? Why are books not open, and meetings closed to the public? And why was the rail line allowed to crumble while taxpayers paid for its "maintenance"? I agree completely with Ms. Keating, especially with her hope for a new regional library -- but not on the waterfront. Were no other sites considered ? Why was this site, requiring extensive reclamation and endangered by the prospect of sea-level rise, ever given consideration? Cui bono?
Martha Ross Follow Me 2021-05-24 11:40 PM ADT Reply 3 0 I completely agree with you Rod Gale, I certainly couldn’t have worded your comments any better. It so disgusting to think the previous mayor Cecil Clarke appointed Marlene Usher at the helm of the Port, really what did she know about Port Business. The councillors of the CBRM need to take over this Port and make sure that it’s run properly. I am disgusted all the money of the taxpayers is being thrown around to pay useless people who are clueless.

Depth

Katherine Warner Follow Me 2021-05-24 6:50 AM ADT

Reply 3 0

Break up the "study buddies"! Get rid of Marlene Usher and only find a replacement once there is actual work to be done! What has she done in the last year to earn her salary.....NOTHING!!!

Debbie Keating Follow Me 2021-05-24 9:09 AM ADT

Reply 4 0

There seem to be more questions than answers for the all elusive port authority! If this board acted in the framework of any publicly funded representative body (yes, our council is the one shareholder of this organization!!) one could readily have answers without having to launch a five year freedom of information request! I would like to see every position surrounding the port defined. Do we not have a manager for cruise ships? Do we not have a complete administration team for managing the marine terminal? Then it becomes....exactly what is the role for the CEO and port board itself?? And how much is this costing us....for what?? If Council is the shareholder, they have the right as OUR representatives to be asking these questions in a time when we are weighing priorities and investing in our future. We need all port expenses on the books to be scrutinized by shareholders....that would be the public!! We need all meetings to not only have minutes, but be open to those shareholders....and that would be the public!!! Councillors need to step up and ask these questions. Release the information in the FOIPOP that was ordered by the privacy commissioner. All of it. Expose the mistakes of the past and move forward. We might just be able to find that necessary funding to move forward with our wonderful library project on the waterfront.

Margaret Young Follow Me 2021-05-26 2:10 PM ADT

Reply 0 0

Yes, there are more questions than answers -- but what excellent questions! What are the qualifications, roles and responsibilities of our office holders? Who is responsible for what? Why are books not open, and meetings closed to the public? And why was the rail line allowed to crumble while taxpayers paid for its "maintenance"? I agree completely with Ms. Keating, especially with her hope for a new regional library -- but not on the waterfront. Were no other sites considered ? Why was this site, requiring extensive reclamation and endangered by the prospect of sea-level rise, ever given consideration? Cui bono?

Martha Ross Follow Me 2021-05-24 11:40 PM ADT

Reply 3 0

I completely agree with you Rod Gale, I certainly couldn’t have worded your comments any better. It so disgusting to think the previous mayor Cecil Clarke appointed Marlene Usher at the helm of the Port, really what did she know about Port Business. The councillors of the CBRM need to take over this Port and make sure that it’s run properly. I am disgusted all the money of the taxpayers is being thrown around to pay useless people who are clueless.

goCapeBreton.com

My response To CEO and The Chairman of The Port Board!

4

Facebook Comments

More Posts by Rod Gale

Featured Posts

More Posts Under