Wade Smith - Another local forced out on leave?
However, this policy seems to be very selective as many other senior civil servants, including two Permanent Secretaries (PS), one officer whose rank is higher than that of a PS and three heads of Departments, still have over 100 days racked up, but they have not been asked to take their leaves, according to this news site’s sources inside government.
However, the latest casualty of the government’s policy to be forced out on leave is the popular Commissioner of Customs Wade Smith. While the policy is not new, as it started under the former Virgin Islands Party government of Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, many public officers and ordinary citizens are observing a pattern developing on who is asked to take their leave.
This news site’s sources close to the situation reported that Mr. Smith was given a hand delivered letter today January, 31, 2012 which he was asked to sign for and the letter was from his immediate supervisor the Financial Secretary Neil Smith, directing that he proceed on leave from the end of this week.
Smith told close allies that he was disturbed by the unprofessional manner in which this matter was handled, as he does not usually listen to the streets, but learnt about his pending leave from there.
Mr. Smith is expected to return to work next year June 2013, when his leave of over 200 days would have expired. The Virgin Islands Accountant General Kharid Fraser was also given a letter to take leave even after she had returned to office from taking vacation leave which had already reduced her days.
Up to press time, both the Ag. Director of Human Resources Michelle Donovan-Stevens and Financial Secretary Neil Smith could not be reached for comments.
Civil Servants feeling a witch hunt since NDP returned to power
Following the 2011 general elections that saw the National Democratic Party winning with a 9 to 4 margin, there continues to be many transfers, terminations and extended leaves of public servants. Many in the community are now asking the question, if there is a witch hunt for public officers who were allegedly supporters of the now opposition Virgin Islands Party Government of former Premier Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE.
Some civil servants are also blasting the United Kingdom appointed Governor William Boyd McCleary, who is the head of the civil service, for allegedly “sitting by while there is a perception of victimisation of some public officers”.
Thus far, the Labour Commissioner Oleanvine Maynard has been removed from office, as was first and accurately reported by this news site. Recently, Minister for Natural Resources and Labour and Deputy Premier Kedrick Pickering admitted publicly that he was responsible for her removal.
Her removal came days after the sacking of Ray George from the Ministry of Communications and Works, where in a meeting Hon. Mark Vanterpool allegedly told Mr. George that his job was “redundant”.
In addition, since the NDP took office, Kharid Fraser the Accountant General, was sent on extended leave in a letter given to her signed by the same Financial Secretary Neil Smith, the same way it was done for the Commissioner of Customs. In addition, there was the denial of a contract renewal for Otto O’Neal, the former Cabinet Secretary. Mr. O’Neal’s last day on the job was December 15, 2011.
Very recently, Sherri Otiz, the Executive Director of the International Finance Centre has been told that her contract will not be renewed, but she could allegedly “re-apply once the post is advertised.”
Also, it was Virgin Islands News Online who firstly and accurately reported of the pending transfer of Dr. Drexel Glasgow from his post at the Public Works Department. The officer is expected to demit that office in the coming days, and Minister Vanterpool has admitted after denying it in the House of Assembly, that he is responsible for the move.
Moves in the best interest of officers, media reports misleading-Dr. Smith
In a statement in the House of Assembly on Monday December 19, 2011, Premier Smith used the age old tactic of blaming the media for what he described as “deliberately misleading and malicious stories published about the reassignment or vacation leave taken by a few public servants”.
However, the Leader of Government business told the public that, “Every Government starting its term of office has the right – and indeed expects when necessary – to ask the Governor to reallocate its human and financial resources in order to meet its strategic objectives and to fulfill its campaign promises to the public”.
The Premier in the same statement went on to claim that, “In the very few instances where this Administration has found it necessary to ask that Public Officers be reassigned, it has been after discussion with the officer and I am pleased to say that in all instances the officer has stood to benefit from the change”.
The Commissioner of Customs post is a government job that attracts a salary of $62,900-$92,150 in grade 17.
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