Interviews Closed; Who Will Be the New Chief Environmental Officer?

Dean Flowers

Who will be the next Chief Environmental Officer?  As News Five found out today, the interview process has concluded and an announcement is soon to be made on the successful applicant. By natural progression, Deputy Chief Environmental Officer Edgar Eck could be considered suited to the post – given his twenty plus years of experience and the requisite degree in an environmentally-related field. But some believe Senior Environmental Officer Anthony Mai is the front runner. If he gets it, then he would be promoted once more, with less than two years in the department; this time to the post as Chief Environmental Officer.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“The C.E.O., of course, reassured me that he would insure that the interview process was independent and fair and transparent and that he would look at the concern and provide a response. At least that’s my recollection of the conversation. To date, I understand that absolutely no response has been provided to the concern of the officers. In addition to that, the interviews went ahead accepting applications from people with management and administration for the post of Chief Environmental Officer and there is now rumours that the candidate that had already been pinpointed by the Chief Executive Officer in that ministry and I don’t know if by extension the minister – will be announced as the successful candidate. And so this is what is happening right now.”

Of note is that an appeal, dated February 2020, is currently before the Belize Advisory Council for a decision taken by the former C.E.O. to deny the promotion of another public officer in favour of Mai to the post of Senior Environmental Officer. According to the appellant, the decision was unlawful and in breach of the Public Service Regulations.