P.S.U. Members Suffered at the Hands of Public Service Commission Says 1st V.P.

Dean Flowers

The battle between the Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Public Service continues tonight.  The five commission members are refusing to step down – something that Prime Minister John Briceño said they should have done since November twelfth.  It is a tradition that whenever there is a change in administration, politically appointed commissions and boards’ members resign. But that is not the case with the Public Service Commission. Chairman Charles Gibson and the other members refuse to leave. The Public Service Union has been monitoring the fight and says that the constitution needs to be upheld.

Dean Flowers, First Vice-President, P.S.U.

“It is a complex issue to say the least for the P.S.U.  Primarily because the constitution is clear where the appointment of these members is concern. The constitution is also clear in terms of their removal. However, we are not naïve to the fact that some members of the commission are viewed and can be viewed as pure political. We will not shy away from that. However that does not change the facts of the matter which is that the former Prime Minister in his capacity as Prime Minister appointed these members. The constitution does no speaks to the appointing members to the Public Service Commission, only for the duration of your term. That is not stated in the constitution and so in keep with the constitution we are of the view that as a country of law abiding citizens that we ought to be that these members are to run their course unless the new administration can present the kind of evidence that is needed to prove a case of misbehavior. I want to say that in our view we have members that have suffered at the hands of this very commission. So we are in no way defending the members of this commission. What we are defending is the constitution.”