The chairman of the National Training Board (NTB) told last night of his surprise that the quango?s top civil servant had been temporarily removed from his post ? and praised the work that he had been doing.

Executive officer Michael Stowe found out on Friday while off the Island for a personal medical matter that he was being placed on administrative leave while alleged financial irregularities at the NTB were probed, as reported in yesterday?s edition of .

NTB chairman Herman Tucker said the board had not been told about it at a meeting held last Wednesday and that he believed the circumstances leading up to the decision had ?transpired fairly quickly and fairly recently?.

He said the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Education, Rosemary Tyrrell, had approached him on Friday to tell him that Mr. Stowe was being placed on leave.

He added that it was unexpected since although the board knew of an internal financial investigation it was Mr. Stowe who had been reporting on its progress.

?Shocked is too much but I was surprised,? he said. ?As a board we didn?t see anything wrong with the job he was doing.

?This event that has been reported in your newspaper is not being driven by the board. It?s being driven by the civil servants.

?I would imagine that most board members were not aware of that particular outcome that was reported.?

He said he could not divulge details of the inquiry as it was a civil service investigation but said the board had recently asked for an internal audit. He added: ?It?s my understanding that it really has to do with processes or procedures relating to financial instructions. That is the government rulebook on how we handle money.

?There has been no indication to us of fraud or wrongdoing but I?m not involved in the investigation as the chairman and neither is the board. I have to wait for the outcome.?

Mr. Tucker said that for many years the NTB office was run by Mr. Stowe and just one other member of staff.

?There wasn?t a lot of staff or support. As far as the board is concerned they were doing a very good job with respect to their duties and the business of the board.?

He said he hoped to see Mr. Stowe back in post as soon as possible, adding: ?I have to qualify that by saying ?pending the outcome of the investigation?.?

He said he hoped to organise a meeting of the board this week to discuss the situation and added that he was concerned about the impact of Mr. Stowe?s absence on the NTB, which offers technical and vocational training to Bermudians.

?The longer that he is out the more of a problem it could be,? he said. ?It?s up to the Minister of Education to fill those gaps in the interim.?

Mike Charles, deputy NTB chairman, said the first he knew of Mr. Stowe?s removal was yesterday?s newspaper report. ?I suppose I was shocked,? he said. ?Nothing has been brought up at the board level.?

Education Minister Neletha Butterfield said she could not comment yesterday. It is understood that the decision to remove Mr. Stowe was taken by Ms Tyrrell. A Government spokesman said the Ministry had no further comment to make at this stage.