Patrick O. Harrigan forced out of Dept of Youth & Sports!
Mr. Harrigan an indigenous Virgin Islander is the latest casualty of the ruthtless arm of the National Democratic Party Government politics and a Minister for Education and Culture Myron V. Walwyn who his critics have accused of playing politics with education and youth affairs.
Mr. Harrigan who started in the service from 1974 as a school teacher and rose to the post of Acting Director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports is to start his pre-retirement leave today, October 1, 2014 after according to a Ministry source receiving a letter from the Human Resources Department in which United Kingdom appointed Governor John S. Duncan OBE has agreed to retire him from the civil service.
According to the same Ministry Official who spoke to our news room this morning said Mr. Harrigan had requested at least 6 months to transition out in a letter however, someone wanted him to “go now”, and his letter from the Human Resources Department reflected that…once his vacation days expired he will not be back, the senior officer told our news room on condition of anonymity.
It remains unclear how many vacation days the officer has accumulated, as it seems to be in dispute according to the same Ministry source. Mr. Harrigan has acted in the post of Director of Youth Affairs and Sports for well over 6 years.
The Audit of Harrigan-not public
However, yesterday an NDP source told our news room that while the controversial Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Walwyn was in the loop of what was going on “there is more in the mota.” The source said that the Auditor General Ms. Sonia M. Webster did an audit of the Department and the findings under Mr. Harrigan “were not positive.”
This news site will seek to obtain a copy of the report in the coming days. The source did not elaborate on the findings of the audit report, but claimed this helped in the decision to ask the officer to leave now. It is also reported that the Audit Report was shared with the Governor, the Minister for Education and Culture, and the Public Service Commission (PSC), but after many requests the audit report was finally shared with Mr. Harrigan, the main subject of the Audit.
Mr. Harrigan is reported to have gone before to PSC for confirmation, however that was blocked. It is unclear who objected to the confirmation.
A senior civil servant told our news room that “at least they could have confirmed the man to the post and let him retire with some dignity…it’s sad how they continue to treat our people, the service has gone to the dogs… too much politics.”
Front runners for post - Hewlett and Lettsome-Tye
While no one has been named to act in Mr. Harrigan’s post the same Ministry sources said the Minister is torn between Mr. Paul A. Hewlett who was allegedly promised the job and the Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture Brenda Lettsome-Tye.
It is reported that Mrs. Lettsome-Tye has become Hon. Walwyn’s favourite because “she gets things done....she is efficient,” according to a high ranking source close to the selection process.
Long list of civil servants pushed out under NDP
Since the NDP came to power in 2011 a long list of Public Officers have been forced out through retirement, none renewal of contract, reassigned or fired.
The local officers include among many others, Ray A. George, former consultant to the Ministry of Communications and Works, former Labour Commissioner Mrs. Oleanvine Maynard, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works the esteemed Julian Willock, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture, Mrs Carolyn O’Neal-Morton, former Account General Kharid Fraser, Former Director of the International Finance Centre Sherri L. Ortiz, Anna Rabsatt who was reassigned from the Treasury, former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority Vincent V. O’Neal, and former Cabinet Secretary Otto O’Neal to name a few.
Two standards in the Civil Service; Ex-Governor was AWOL!
Many persons, both inside and outside the civil service, continue to highlight the double standards, lack of integrity and credibility of the civil service, by the top brass making the decisions whereby some officers are disciplined and treated unfairly mostly over unproven allegations, while others with proved infractions, a blind eye is turned and the matter is swept under the rug.
Civil Servants and the public have also claimed that the former United Kingdom appointed Governor William B. McCleary has not done anything to improve the morale and fair play of the civil service, and has allowed the public sector to become a political body, which has resulted in the displacement of professional officers, most often locals.
It is too early to assess the new Governor Mr. Duncan on his performance towards justice in the service.
One of the many examples of lack of transparency and double standards in the civil service is the Deputy Governor V. Inez Archibald having long passed the government retirement age of 60, but they continue to write letters asking those who have passed or reached that age to retire.
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50 Responses to “Patrick O. Harrigan forced out of Dept of Youth & Sports!”
The local officers include among many others, Ray A. George, former consultant to the Ministry of Communications and Works, former Labour Commissioner Mrs. Oleanvine Maynard, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works the esteemed Julian Willock, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture, Mrs Carolyn O’Neal-Morton, former Account General Kharid Fraser, Former Director of the International Finance Centre Sherri L. Ortiz, Anna Rabsatt who was reassigned from the Treasury, former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority Vincent V. O’Neal, and former Cabinet Secretary Otto O’Neal to name a few".
hope voters remeber this next elections!!!!!!
They were not replaced by expats, they were replaced by other BVIslanders. It seems you are only a real local or BVIslander if you support the VIP. Once you support NDP you are an a.. who deserves to sit on the sidelines. I hope the voters remember that also. Local is local so I don't see what the issue is. We all know many of the people in these positions are NOT doing a good job or cannot handle what they were put there to do, but we just sit back and pretend so no feelings are hurt. Patrick Harrigan should be honored for all that he h as put into developing youth athletes etc. He has been there like FOREVER. BUT, he should NOT have been put in such an administrative post. He should have been in the field doing what he loves to do, which is deal directly with the youth. We need to stop putting our people in positions to fail! Not everyone can handle being in the office and dealing with administrative issues and this is one of those situations. We all cry out about issues and ask for change, yet when these changes occur it's a set of foolish banter. Let the man collect his retirement check and find something else to do. I'm sure the Government can find other means of utilizing his talents via private contracting and that will be a win-win for all involved. Putting people in positions just because they have been working in a department for a long long time is counter-productive. People should be put in positions that adequately match their expertise and competence level! Let us stop putting people in positions to fail even before they start! All the best Patrick, don't mind the foolish noise!!
One A-S-S knows a next.
The nerve of wa..yn to be saying he knows nothing about hariggan being sent home...who he trying to fool eh???