ROADTOWN Tortola, BVI, March 29th 2011 - Another PS has requested that her retirement be made effective immediately following a diplomatic letter leaked to the public, and a contentious relationship with her Minister. Now, word has reached VINO via its team of reporters and sources around the Virgin Islands that yet another PS is to be removed from office.
Admittedly, the three situations seem to be contrasting in nature. Two are based on allegedly poor working relationship with Ministers of Government and the other a case where the Minister has requested that his PS be returned to office both publicly and privately. Nevertheless, this recent development could bring the number to three Permanent Secretaries prematurely removed from office within the last nine months.
Fahie vs O’Neal
According to VINO’s sources, there has been a serious breakdown in the relationship between the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Education and Culture Carolyn O’Neal and her Minister Honourable Andrew A. Fahie. The poor working relationship has led to numerous complaints from the Minister, according to VINO sources, which have reached the Public Service Commission for action. It is reported that the Minister has indicated in detailed documented terms that he no longer wants Ms. O’Neal as his PS, and has allegedly requested that she be removed, with immediate effect.
The poor working relationship has led to numerous complaints from Minister Fahie.
VINO was reliably informed that the Public Service Commission endorsed the request made by the Minister, when the matter was placed on their agenda some three weeks ago. Further, sources told VINO that the request to have Ms. O’Neal removed stemmed from what the Minister described in a February 8, 2011, letter to His Excellency, the Governor Boyd McCleary, as “No confidence in his Permanent Secretary”.
According to VINO’s sources, it is alleged that Minister Fahie in many letters over a period of time including one dated March 1, 2011, addressed to the Director of Human Resources (Ag) has documented many items that contributed to the break down in relationship and his lack of confidence in Ms. O’Neal.
Fahie’s case for removal
These issues according to VINO sources in the February 8, 2011 letter written by the Minister, allegedly included among others, a file leaving the Ministry without the Minister’s knowledge, misrepresentation of information, not always carrying out the Minister’s directives, and when carrying them out not doing so in a timely manner. In addition, the Minister reportedly wrote in his letter that he has a level of distrust in Ms. O’Neal and has deemed her according to the same letter to be unprofessional, according to information reaching VINO.
The Minister in the same letter, complained also about Ms. O’Neal’s leadership and management styles, and about her not understanding her role as a PS.
Further, the letter allegedly spoke of the PS not providing accurate information to him over the status of the appointment of a Deputy Secretary within his Ministry, and her allegedly not receiving from the Human Resources Department the letter for the acting appointment for the same officer. Minister Fahie also allegedly claimed in a letter that sometimes he was not even aware when his PS was out of office or on vacation leave.
Furthermore, it was also alleged that there was an issue between the PS and the Minister over an audit report of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports. VINO’s sources have confirmed that the PS was given a copy of the Minister’s letter for her response.
PS defense
Further, it was reported to VINO that in the PS’s response, in a letter dated March 3, 2011, she rejected the claims by the Minister and submitted that the breakdown in relationship steamed from a conflict over the selection of a Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture. It was alleged that the PS was not in favour of the Minister’s recommendation and had gotten two other Ministers of the Cabinet involved in the process. It is unknown who those two Ministers were.
The Youth Affairs and Culture Dept. Photo: VINO.
Ms. O’Neal in her response of March 3, 2011 to the Deputy Governor also expressed surprise by the Minister’s accusations, since as recent as last year he was reportedly “singing her praises”. The Permanent Secretary listed her work history and her achievements over the years from being a school teacher of 24 years, to lecturing at the HL Stoutt Community College and her assignment as the local Secretary General of UNESCO.
Ms. O’Neal, according to sources, stated in her letter that over her long distinguished career in the public service, no one had ever questioned her leadership and management abilities. The PS, according to sources, said that she worked long hours in the Ministry and most often was the first to be at work and the last to leave. Sometimes she ate her lunch in her office “around her conference table”.
O’Neal in her letter stated that she was the Accounting Officer and should have a say. VINO was able to confirm that the PS was still on the job up to Friday March 25, 2011. Calls to the Human Resources Department and the Governor’s office on this matter were not returned.
Who has the power?
Under the Virgin Islands’ Constitutional Order of 2007 Sec 89.1, the Minister is responsible for his or her Ministry. He should be consulted and could make recommendations on any appointment of senior officers in the Ministry or any department under his Ministry. All Permanent Secretaries must carry out the directives and polices of their Ministers, hence, the government of the day, once the instructions are legal.
Under the Westminster system of Government, which the Virgin Islands practices and in modern constitutions, while there is a professional public service, it is a long standing convention that a PS cannot be appointed without the approval and support of the subject Minister.
It was last year that former United Kingdom’s appointed Governor David Pearey announced the confirmation of Ms. O’Neal as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture, effective February 1. O’Neal replaced Sheila Brathwaite who retired in November 2009.
According to a government press release, O’Neal has been teaching for 24 years and joined the public service in 1999 as an education officer with the Department of Education and Culture.
Ms. O’Neal holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish from the University of the Virgin Islands; a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of the West Indies and a Master’s Degree in Educational Management from the University of Nottingham.
Article taken from Virgin Island News Online
