The removal of Justice Cecil Kennard from his post as Chair-man of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) is in keeping with government’s plan to establish an age requirement for persons who sit on state boards, agencies and commissions.
This is according to President David Granger who said yesterday that government’s decision to ask Kennard to step down had to be taken. Government, he said, is paving the way for younger persons to take the lead.
Observers had expressed concern last week, after Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said that Kennard was asked to leave because of his age. Kennard who has been the PCA Chairman since 2002 is almost 80 years old and will remain on the job until the end of this month, according to what Ramjattan said. Questions have also been raised about inconsistencies in the government’s policy as the Chairman of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Hamilton Green is over 80. He was appointed last year.
Granger was asked about the Kennard issue yesterday at State House shortly after the accreditation of Switzerland’s new Ambassador to Guyana.
In a press release sent out by the Ministry of Presidency, Granger while offering an apology for the short notice, maintained that it was a decision that had to be taken.
Stabroek News had been told that Kennard became aware of the decision to remove him from office while he was on holiday. He was given 36 hours, but this time was extended after he made contact with Ramjattan. According to Kennard, he had indicated to Ramjattan that he had a lot of work to complete and would prefer if he could remain in office until the end of March.
It had also been reported that retired Justice Prem Persaud, who is Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, has also been asked to leave office. He is almost 80 years old and leaves at the end of next month.
“There was no negative report. In fact, the decision was taken to review all of the Boards including the Central Housing and Planning Authority. I regret very much the short notice. He does deserve longer notice and there was a consideration of the length of service and the age of the persons holding those offices. I have worked with him and he came before the Disciplined Forces Commission and he has a lot of bright ideas, but at this time we look forward to filling all of the Constitutional appointments. We also have the Public Service (Appellate) Tribunal…We want to fill the Ombudsman so it is a result of a general review of all the agencies, Boards and Com-missions,” President Granger was quoted as saying in the press release.
According to the release, the President told the media that Justice Kennard’s work was exemplary but “the Government is focused on creating an atmosphere in which other persons, who are younger, are able to take a lead.” The release said it was expected that in the coming days, more information would become available.
“So it is not a criticism of his service but there will be a general order explaining our policy on age and retirement for agencies, boards and commissions but at the same time we hope to give other persons an opportunity to serve so that over a period of time we build up expertise in the younger generations too. So it is not a criticism of Justice Kennard. There will be further information but nobody is being purged. We are simply trying to give other persons the ability to serve,” the President said.
Ramjattan, responding to questions from this newspaper, had said, “He is almost over 80 and the president indicated to me that he sent him a letter and he will be removed …by the end of February.
The minister also said that Kennard performed “excellently even while we [government] were in the opposition.” He added that the reports given by Kennard were “excellent reports.”
“He was a Chancellor. He is a quality jurist and of course he knows the job, of the judges’ rules, how policemen should behave, the norms that go with that highly professional vocation and so he has performed very well and has done almost on every score, the right things in relation to his recommendations after the investigations,” Ramjattan added.
