Audit Officers in Limbo: Barred, Paid, and Ignored

Imagine showing up to work every day—but with no tasks, no responsibilities, and no explanation. That’s exactly what Gerald Henry and Doreth Obermayer say happened to them after being barred from conducting audits. Despite still receiving their salaries, they claim they were left in professional limbo for months. Henry says things only got worse, his performance appraisals took a nosedive, and every attempt to raise the alarm, from the Ministry of Public Service to the Prime Minister himself, has gone unanswered. So, what’s really going on behind closed doors? We’re digging into the details.

 

Gerald Henry, Public Officer

“Because we refused to sign a totally illegal and unconstitutional document, we were not given any task to do for over two and a half years. During the two and a half years we were instructed not do any work we were still required to submit weekly reports. This is the weekly report we were asked to complete. It ask for completed activities for the entire week. Of course the activity was not to do anything, so it was not applicable for us because we were asked not to do any work. So there were no activities. The only activities were on Fridays because the report was due on a Friday. So the only activity was to prepare and submit the weekly report. Then they asked us to give an ongoing activity. Again, you told me not to do any activity so that is not applicable. And then they asked us to do challenges and setbacks to do nothing. I didn’t have any challenge and setback to do nothing at all. So that was not applicable. Then there is a part where they asked us what we intend to do the following week. That again was not applicable because you instructed me not to do any work.”