Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton has objected to two of President Irfaan Ali’s nominees for the Public Service Commission (PSC) due to their political affiliation to the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government.

Last month, President Ali nominated Maurice Rudranauth Gajadhar, Melcita Bovell and Leila Ramson to sit on the Public Service Commission.

While the Opposition Leader supported Gajadhar’s nomination, he objected to Bowell and Ramson on the grounds that the two have close ties to the Government.

“In the case of Ms Melcita Bovell and Mrs Leila Ramson, they have a history of involvement in partisan politics or close links to a political party and or political party senior operatives,” the Opposition Leader said in a letter addressed to the President on June 23.

He said he cannot support the two being part of an independent Public Service Commission.

But Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, MP in a correspondence four days later told the Opposition Leader’s High Representative, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde that Ramson has served the country with distinction.

“Mrs Leila Ramson served on the independent Teaching Service Commission established by the Constitution as a member thereof for 12 consecutive years commencing in the year 1994, and then served as Chairperson of the said Commission for another 10 years – all without legal challenge,” Minister Teixeira reasoned.

Mrs. Ramson is the wife of the Commissioner of Information and the mother of the Minister of Culture.

With regards to Bovell, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said although an allegation of political association was made against her, no details were provided that would permit either an interrogation or a considered response.

“Please be informed that His Excellency maintains that the three (3) candidates proposed have provided distinguished public service to our nation as reflected in their curriculum vitae, and are persons of good standing. In His Excellency’s opinion, they are qualified to serve as members of the Public Service Commission,” Minister Teixeira said in the letter dated June 27.

But no amount of explanation or justification has been able to sway the decision of the Opposition Leader, with his High Representative telling Minister Teixeira that the presence of Mrs Ramson and Ms Bovell on the Commission would make it far from independent.

“It is noted, particularly, in the instance of Mrs Leila Ramson, that you have failed to offer any comment or position on the indisputable fact that Mrs Leila Ramson is the wife of a former Attorney General Minister of Legal Affairs under a PPPC government and mother of the current Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture of the Current PPPC Government,” MP Forde said while adding that Bovell is “known to be a close associate of a senior political party operative which brings into question her ability to be intendent.”

Under the Constitution, the Public Service Commission is required to have six members – three members appointed by the President, after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition; two members appointed by the President based on nomination by the National Assembly; and if the President thinks fit, one other member appointed by him, in accordance with his own deliberate judgement.

The Parliament has nominated former Director of the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD), Mohandatt Goolsarran, and Janice Isabella Bowen to sit on the Commission.

Guyana has been without a PSC since the life of the last Commission expired in August 2021.

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