Opposition and Public Service Union complain about delegation of powers by Public Service Commission

Published by BBNTEAM at March 29, 2023

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Posted: Wednesday, March 29, 2023. 8:49 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: Alarm has been raised over a publication in the Government Gazette of March 18 concerning the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Its chairman, Diana Price Murillo, announces the Commission will delegate its power regarding the appointment of persons to hold or act in offices within the Public Service and transfer of public officers.

The delegation of powers is retroactive to May of 2022 and stays in force until 2025.

What is behind the decision is not clear, but according to Public Service Union president Dean Flowers who spoke to Channel 7 News, the power is vested in the Constitution. However, this was written to insulate human resources in the Public Service from creatures of politics. The decision is not unusual, he says – except that for the first time, the power of appointment on promotion is included which he says is concerning.

The Leader of the Opposition also spoke to Channel 7 News, saying, “The PSC is Constitutionally independent. It is there to guarantee fair play to public officers; to act as a bulwark against arbitrary or political decisions of the Executive affecting appointments, promotions, transfers and all else having to do with the welfare of public officers. To delegate those powers of the PSC, supposed to be insulation for public officers against Executive maltreatment, to the very Executive against which the PSC is a guardrail, rubbishes any notion of a check on the Executive, of Constitutional protection for the public officers.”

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