Political appointees sent on leave to facilitate investigation – Bulkan - investigation will determine their “integrity” and “credibility”
AMIDST controversy surrounding several local government officials being requested to proceed on leave during the transition period for the newly appointed government, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan has revealed that these requests were made to political appointees in an attempt to facilitate investigations. The minister made this disclosure yesterday in an interview with this publication, as he explained that those persons who were asked to proceed on leave since the newly appointed government assumed office were political appointees of the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration.
As such, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, adopted a position to investigate the “credibility” and “integrity” of these political appointees.
But to facilitate these investigations, the minister noted that persons were requested to proceed on leave. “These investigations must be unhindered and unimpeded,” Bulkan asserted yesterday.
He further added that those who were asked to proceed on leave were not “independent” persons and should have done the right thing by submitting their resignations, given that their appointments were politically motivated.
Only recently, several local government officials who worked under the purview of the Local Government Ministry, now known as the Ministry of Communities, were sent on administrative leave with no reason being cited in their respective letters.
Among those who were asked to proceed on leave were Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO), Mohamed Arjune and Regional Executive Officer (REO) Claire Singh, both of Region nine (9) – Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo.
While Arjune was reluctant to speak with this publication a few days ago, when contacted, Singh explained that she was due for leave but did not request the 42 days leave package which was imposed on her through a letter issued by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Communities Ministry, Abina Moore, on Monday last.
Singh detailed that the 42 days leave package forced her to proceed on leave on Tuesday June 2, and will expire on July 13 after which she is unsure as to whether she will be reinstated.
Additionally, the REO added that no reason was cited in the letter, explaining why she was being sent on administrative leave which she did not request. “No reason was given in the letter why I should proceed on leave,” Singh noted.
When pressed further for reasons as to why the ministry would request her to proceed on leave, she noted that to her knowledge, there is no reason why she should have been asked to go on leave.
In this regard, the REO continued that she worked under the People’s Progressive Part/Civic (PPP/C) regime and she is now willing to work under a new administration, but is surprised at the manner in which things were done. “For a government of national unity, I don’t see this as unity; asking someone to leave when they did not request it,” Singh contended.
She also disclosed that she was replaced by APNU+AFC campaigner Carl Parker, who is also an APNU councillor on the present Regional Democratic Council (RDC).
When contacted for a comment by this publication earlier this week to query why the leave request was made to Singh and under what circumstances the request was made, Moore or someone posing as her was reluctant to even take the phone call, offering that “it is the wrong number.”
A second attempt to contact Moore was again greeted with “wrong number” even before a request was made to speak to someone.
Meanwhile, both Permanent Secretaries (PS) of the Ministry of Local Government now known as the Ministry of Communities, and the Amerindian Affairs Ministry were sent home recently.
While the details surrounding the sending home of the permanent secretaries are unclear, the two men, Colin Croal of the Local Government Ministry and Nigel Dharamlall of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry have been reluctant to comment on the issue.
Both Croal and Dharamlall participated in the PPP/C’s campaign and had resigned but withdrew their resignations shortly before the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition was declared winner.
But Minister Bulkan, when questioned on the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of Croal, replied that, “you cannot serve two masters at once.”
The minister further explained that this was made clear to Croal who formed part of the PPP’s campaign team in the general and regional elections, which was a clear violation of the public service rules.
As a result of this, Bulkan posited that, “You cannot serve two masters at once, and this was what Mr. Croal was doing… it was a breach of the public service rules and this was why he was asked to proceed on leave.”
These events unfold at a time when the President David Granger administration has announced that there will be no “witch-hunting” and “victimization” of staff who worked under the previous administration.
By Ravin Singh