Dumas: Appoint Inspector of Missions

Former head of the public service Reginald Dumas says there is need for the post of Inspector of Missions to be reinstated. Dumas said that yesterday when questioned about the dismissal of eight employees of the T&T Consulate in New York last month.

He said there remained provisions for such a post. He said this latest development in New York highlights the need for someone to be appointed to the position. He said an Inspector of Missions would be able to visit the New York Consulate and interview staff, as well as the head of mission, and get the facts with a view to an appropriate resolution of the matter.

He said it was now time to appoint someone to that position. Eight workers were fired with immediate effect last month, after being asked to write an exam they claim they were not prepared for. The exam was authorised by officials at the consulate. Dumas said he was surprised by that development, as in his entire career in the public service he had never heard of such an exam. He said several questions must be answered:
• Who set the exam and for what purpose?
• What was its criteria?
• Who marked the papers?
• Was it done on the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Dumas said the conditions of service of the workers was a critical factor in this matter. He said it was also important to find out if the workers’ conditions of service had changed and if that was the case, were the employees informed of this. He wanted to know if the principle of equity was observed in the entire process. He also wanted to know if the exam came like a thief in the night or were the workers aware of it.