Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
The Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) has been directed to disclose information related to a decision to deem a university degree incompatible for the promotions of forestry workers.
High Court Judge Avason Quinlan-Williams gave the order as she recently upheld a lawsuit brought by Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries employee Marsha Sookoo, who was affected by the decision.
Sookoo, a Forester I within the Forestry Division of the ministry, obtained a BSc in Resource, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Idaho, but was informed that it did not make her eligible for promotion to the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests as it was not equivalent to a Forestry degree.
Sookoo, through her lawyers led by Anand Ramlogan, filed a FOIA request seeking disclosure of the officials who evaluated her degree and their report, which led to the decision.
They filed the lawsuit after the CPO claimed that the information was exempt from disclosure under the legislation, as such would compromise the confidentiality and candour that is essential to the decision-making process.
In deciding the case, Justice Quinlan-Williams ruled that Sookoo was entitled to the report but not the names of the officials involved in producing it.
She also found that the designations of the officials could be disclosed to allow Sookoo and her attorneys to determine whether they were suitable and qualified to produce it.
Justice Quinlan-Williams issued a series of declarations against the CPO’s decision and an order directing that the information be provided within 14 days.
The CPO was also ordered to pay Sookoo’s legal costs for the lawsuit.
Sookoo was also represented by Jayanti Lutchmedial, Kent Samlal, Ganesh Saroop and Maureen Radhay. The CPO was represented by Jinai Chong Sing, Amaniy Ali, Akeenie Murray, Rachel Wright, Justay Guerra and Jewel Vendor.
