PSU Demands Answers Over Controversial Mai Jr. Appointment

Did the Public Services Commission ignore its own qualification requirements to approve a controversial appointment? That is the allegation from Public Service Union President Dean Flowers, who says commissioners moved ahead despite concerns about the candidate’s suitability. The union has formally raised the issue with Public Service Ministry CEO Rolando Zetina, but Flowers says it is still waiting for an answer. The dispute is now fueling broader questions about transparency, accountability and whether public service appointments are being made by the book.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“He and the Public Service Commission needs to respond as to why, they violated the processes, the rules and the regulations that are in place in terms of how you fill vacancies. The Prime Minister would have tried his best to play politics again and speak about the union fighting. How can the union asking for accountability in how you fill up director posts be a fight? That’s the union playing its role in holding you accountable, sir, for your information and for your edification. No vacancy was published, and so I wish for the Minister of Public Service, you did not declare that there was a vacant post. Somebody was dismissed from the post, but somebody was acting in the post. Mr. Aldo Castino was in that post since the dismissal of Ms. Cayetano. Thereafter, Mr. Williams was acting in that post. So the substantive post was never filled, but the post was always held by a public officer. So how is it that you can appoint the son of a minister to a post for which you did not declare that there was a vacancy? How is it that the Commission would’ve approved the appointment of a minister’s son who is not suitably qualified?”

 

Dean Flowers criticized commissioners for supporting the appointment despite concerns about the candidate’s qualifications, saying they failed to uphold the standards expected of them.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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