Dear Editor,
The Private Sector Commission’s call on GECOM to take appropriate disciplinary action against any staff of GECOM who commits a misconduct in the execution of her/his contractual and legal obligations and duties, thereby cleansing its Secretariat, must be highly commended. This call is long overdue and has widespread national support with the clear understanding that criminal prosecution for wrongdoing must be pursued in the Courts – High Court, and if necessary in the Court of Appeal and the CCJ, while simultaneously applying employment sanctions. GECOM cannot hide behind criminal charges being prosecuted in the Courts; that is indeed separate and apart for from personnel management and work discipline.
The letter of Joshua Singh published in three of the daily newspapers on 21 December 2020 under the title: `GECOM must take disciplinary action against errant employees’ sets out clearly the legal and contractual position in dealing with personnel management and discipline of staff for gross misconduct, and for good and sufficient cause. Singh sets out clearly the conduct on the job that constitutes justification for decisive and prompt disciplinary action by GECOM in the following words:
“Good and sufficient cause include refusal to carry out lawful instructions on a timely basis, providing fictitious and fraudulent information and reports to the employing authority, misconduct, inefficiency, dilatory tactics, insubordination, and unprofessional conduct and behaviour in the execution of contractual and statutory duties”.
Joshua Singh must be applauded for reminding GECOM (with lawyers on the Commission) of its management responsibility, and wake up from its long slumber. As stated in the PSC’s statement, those who committed contractual employment breaches must be removed to build public confidence, impartial independence, integrity and professionalism of the remaining and new staff. They must resist any undue political and other influences to direct their legal and professional obligations and service the nation, given the long history of political interference with the electoral processes.
GECOM, please act promptly and restore righteousness in our electoral system for the good, and in the national interest, and redeem this nation from international shame.
Yours faithfully,
Samuel J. Goolsarran
