Photo: ( left) USM VP of Finance (Right )  Central Jamaica Conference Club President, Dalian Watson

| By Quinell Ming

Northern Caribbean University’s (NCU) Central Jamaica Conference Club (CJCC) is still not satisfied with the amount of money allocated to the club by the United Student Movement (USM).

President of the CJCC, Dalian Watson, displayed her discontent with her club’s budget allocation by abstaining from voting at the USM’s budget presentation held Thursday, September 26, 2019 in NCU’s Gymnatorium.

Watson told the Trumpet that the JMD$53,000 given to her club by the USM is not enough for her club to successfully execute the plans they have outlined for this academic year, which includes 3 church impacts and a school impact. She mentioned that the transportation cost of these three events is approximately JMD$35,000, leaving them with a balance of only JMD$18,000.

Though frustrated, the president believes that there was some level of miscommunication between her and the USM, specifically its Vice President of Finance, Jermane McBean. In the most recent senate meeting, held on Tuesday, September 17, 2019. Watson claimed that McBean said that the USM is not responsible for any outreach program that is executed by any of NCU’s Spiritual Clubs.

In his response to the claim, McBean said, “I could not have made that statement, because every club falls under the leadership of the United Student Movement and constitutionally we would be responsible for the clubs. So, for me to make a statement like that would have been irresponsible.  What I said to senator was that instead of having so much trips going off campus, it is better for you to stay on campus and impact the campus.”

The Vice President said that he is somewhat startled by the overall matter and he doesn’t understand the premise on which these misunderstandings are deriving from – especially since the budget was voted on in the previously held senate meeting – which the CJCC was a part of.

He mentioned that the USM constitution does not allow clubs to be making numerous trips off the campus and his sector will not be making finances available for any club that hopes to do so. “The constitution does not say that clubs should be going out so often and as Vice President of Finance I will not be putting anything in Spendmap for any club to be going out two, three times for the academic year. They need to spend time on campus and spend time impacting the students,” McBean said.

He also noted that the previous regime of the CJCC had a balance of $21,928.13 which was provided to the current regime along with the JMD$53,000 they received, bringing their total allocation to JMD$74,928.13. If it is that the club’s finances would have been exhausted because of works done on campus, McBean said that the USM is willing to negotiate additional allocations to that and any other club in a similar situation.