A former chairman of the National Training Board (NTB) has given his support to the quango?s executive officer, who has been temporarily removed from his post while a financial investigation is carried out.

Nalton Brangman, who served as chairman between 2001 and 2004, told that it was ?without question? that Michael Stowe was a man of integrity.

Mr. Brangman was vice-chairman of the organisation when Mr. Stowe began working there six years ago and said he was partly responsible for hiring him.

?Mr. Stowe enjoys my support to this day,? he said.

?There is no one in my opinion who has the critical intelligence and the critical thinking skills to develop national technical and vocational standards like Michael Stowe. The man is an exceptional technical analyst.?

He said he was surprised that Mr. Stowe had been placed on ?administrative leave? last Friday while the NTB?s finances were probed.

?It?s my hope that this matter will be sorted quickly because the critical and indeed the unprecedented success of the NTB has been based in large part on the vision plan of Michael Stowe.?

Mr. Brangman also spoke about his own ousting as chairman of Bermuda College Board. He was sacked last Thursday by new Education Minister Neletha Butterfield, before he could deliver the results of an inquiry he was conducting into the publicly-funded college?s finances.

That investigation, ordered by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), was aimed at answering questions regarding alleged perks received by college president Dr. Charles Green.

Mr. Brangman said he believed he was got rid of because the new minister wanted to make her mark on the board and appoint her own chairman ? and not because he was delving into financial affairs which could potentially prove embarrassing.

He revealed that he was in the process of putting together a long-term plan for the future of the college, as requested by former Education Minister Terry Lister.

The strategy included looking at an overhaul of the physical plant, the redevelopment of technical education and the creation of a catering facility which would double as a restaurant.

Mr. Brangman said he did not know if the ideas would still be adopted.

?There is disappointment,? he said. ?I?m human. I?m not interested in my legacy but in seeing what was best suited for the college. My chairmanship is never a personal campaign. I?m there to lift up the college.?

He added that he was concerned about whether the college would still be viable in the future because of falling student rolls in schools.

?We are going to have a significantly smaller population and the question that no one has touched on is the future of Bermuda College,? he said. ?There is a crisis of confidence.?

Mr. Brangman?s tenure as College Board chairman ends on Saturday. Deputy chairman Pandora Wright is to be asked by the PAC to attend a hearing in early October to hand over the results of his investigation. Ms Wright said: ?I have no comment at this time.?