Political appointees in the former APNU+AFC government have one week to quit their positions or they will be fired, according to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira.
In a virtual press conference yesterday, Teixeira said that her government is asking all political appointees to resign immediately or they will be given termination letters after one week.
It was also disclosed that former Minister of State and the Director General in the Ministry of the Presidency, Joe Harmon had applied for 42 days of leave from his position. Harmon was a political appointee.
“Let me make it clear that no one has been terminated or fired. As you know, ministers automatically lose their jobs when their movements lose. Ministers vacate, this is what is considered honourable, decent, dignified. They are expected to hand over state property and assets…It is normal practice. You leave as urgently as possible when you no longer hold [the] position of minister and that goes for political appointees as well,” she said.
“We are asking them to resign and if they do not, they will be getting letters of termination. We are not going to be bullied. At the same time, we have given them a week to do what is right and from Monday they will receive letters,” she added.
President Irfaan Ali yesterday also stated that no one had been fired since he took the oath of office on Sunday. He said in a statement from the Office of the President that a number of APNU+AFC political appointees have tendered their resignations and several others have been advised accordingly.
Teixeira’s statement came following a broadcast yesterday morning by former President David Granger on his Facebook page in which he charged that public servants were being intimidated by the new government and warned it to desist from such behaviour.
Speaking in his capacity as leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Granger said: “Former ministers whose normal residences are located in the rural and hinterland regions were swiftly ordered to vacate their government quarters, unreasonably, within thirty-six hours. Public servants were locked out of their offices without explanation. Contracted officials were threatened with arbitrary and summary termination of their service”.
He added: “The People’s National Congress warns the People’s Progressive Party to desist from pursuing this dangerous pattern of aggression against officials, members of society and persons perceived to belong to other political parties. The PPP will bear responsibility for the consequences of its conduct”.
Perks
While Granger and most of the ministers of his government readily gave up their housing accommodation to the new PPP/C government, resistance has come from the political appointees, who appear unwilling to give up the perks they were afforded, sources say.
And through the handover process, sources say the salaries and fringe benefits reveal astounding amounts for persons who have acted in advisory and other capacities and in some cases such benefits rival that of then ministers and parliamentarians.
“The contracts for some of the political appointees are unbelievable. One appointee from the Department of Environment took home a salary of $500,000 and had paid benefits of vehicle, personal security, CCTV home surveillance, unlimited international and local telephone usage and all utilities…,” one source close to the transition process told Stabroek News.
“Looking at the salaries and benefits of political appointees in various ministries and agencies… you would see that some had salaries between US$4,000 [and] US$12,000, in addition to housing and bills being paid for and either duty-free vehicles or a driver. Some of these persons are pushing back…,” another source said.
Teixeira said that Harmon and legal advisor in the Office of the President Geeta Chandan-Edmond had written asking President Ali for “42 days leave”.
It is unclear if the time requested constitutes vacation days owed to them and if they intended to stay on to serve under Ali and in what capacity. Calls to both their mobile phones yesterday went unanswered. Harmon was seen as Granger’s right-hand man and has argued that the PPP/C did not win the elections. His application for leave will raise eyebrows.
Like former president Granger, Teixeira said some political appointees were “very gracious” in their handing over of state assets and resignations. She mentioned government advisors Dr Mark Kirton and Frederick Mc Wilfred as being some of the first to hand in their resignations.
Ministry of the Presidency advisor Ronald Backer, who had also worked for Harmon during his tenure at the ministry, Director of Public Information Imran Khan, Director of Sports Christopher Jones and a number of others are still to resign.
“We can do this in a very honourable and dignified manner. A number of political appointees have been advised to vacate the premises that is paid for by the taxpayers and they have not done so. We are not the ones looking for a fight. Tell your appointees to do the honourable thing,” Teixeira said.
Khan has been asked to give up his occupancy at Echilibar Villas, a government-owned property located at Stone Avenue, Campbellville, in Georgetown.
A member of the AFC arm of the coalition government, Khan served in the Prime Minister’s Office and headed the Department of Public Information prior to the declaration of the March 2 elections results on Sunday last. In a Facebook post, Khan published the correspondence sent to him by Roxanne Barratt, Principal Assistant Secretary to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Presidency, on August 5.
“Tammy Khan and I need a place to sleep tonight. Please message if you have a spare room available,” Khan said above the post.
According to the letter, Khan was told that he needed to vacate the government-allocated residence to facilitate occupancy by newly-elected government officials.
Teixeira said that ministers and other appointees of the current administration, who live in far- flung areas, need the government residences too.
While time ranging from one to three days for moving was given to most persons, an exception was made for two former ministers who are from the hinterland. They have been given one month to vacate their government housing.
“Political appointees are hired by the president to help him and the government. When the president or government is no longer there, the rationale is that it has come to an end and they, therefore, they have no role to play,” she said.
