Civil servants should not represent political parties – Eustace

Civil servants should be independent of partisan political matters and should not, in any capacity, represent political parties.

Opposition leader Arnhim Eustace expressed this opinion this past weekend, when he spoke of a Permanent Secretary being {{more}}a part of a Unity Labour Party (ULP) delegation at a meeting with the supervisor of elections, last Thursday.

The meeting was held to discuss matters relating to the recently amended Representation of the People Act and the changes that would be made to the voters’ list.

“She had no right there. That is against the rule and she should therefore not be working today. You are supposed to be independent as a civil servant. Not come there as part of a party for discussions with another party,” the Opposition Leader said.

Eustace also opined that persons were being employed in the public service and were not doing jobs that merited their salary and that once in office, his administration would address such issues.

When contacted by SEARCHLIGHT, ULP general secretary, Julian Francis declined to comment on Eustace’s statements.

He, however, did confirm that Dr Audrey Gilkes, the ULP’s deputy chairperson, was present and acting in that capacity, at Thursday’s meeting.

“I don’t know a Permanent Secretary was present in the meeting. I know my deputy chairperson was present in the meeting,” he said.

Gilkes is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing, Informal Human Settlements, Land and Surveys and Physical Planning.

“We can’t continue to have those kinds of things in St Vincent and the Grenadines. That is part of the reason for underdevelopment that we have right now,” Eustace said on Saturday night. (BK)