President David Granger on Wednesday morning swore-in the six persons who constitute the membership of the new Public Service Commission (PSC). The life of the previous PSC ended last year.
Those persons are: Michael Somersall (Chairman); Mavis Benn; Vincent Bowman; Geeta Chandan-Edmond: Morris Gajadar and Mortimer Livan.
They were appointed in accordance with Article 200 (1) of the Constitution, following consultations between the Head of State and the Opposition Leader, as well as deliberations of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Appointments.
The Public Service Commission is constitutionally responsible for hiring, firing, as well as disciplining, public servants.
President Granger, in brief remarks at this swearing-in ceremony, emphasised the role of the PSC in ensuring an efficient and professional Public Service.
“The Public Service Commission’s task is to ensure the establishment and existence of an impartial Public Service by insulating public servants from political influence and interference…The Public Service Commission promotes a professional Public Service by ensuring that its appointments are based on the principle of merit rather than political patronage, and that disciplinary action and removals, when necessary, are just,” the President said.
“The commission can enhance the professionalism of the Public Service by appointing public servants who evince the qualities of impartiality, integrity and intelligence,” he noted.
The Head of State went on to talk about the importance of public servants, whose work is critical to economic development.
“Public servants are essential to the country’s administration, because they exert direct and daily influence on the lives of Guyanese through various official agencies, boards, commissions, departments and ministries…The Public Service, to enjoy public trust and to achieve its administrative objectives, must be composed of men and women of intelligence, integrity and impartiality…They should look forward to careers based on the principle of merit. Their employment should not be threatened or interrupted for political reasons or upon a change in Government,” the President asserted.
Chairman of the newly appointed PSC, Michael Somersall, expressed elation at his appointment. Somersall was, in January 2017, appointed a special prosecutor of the State to handle those high-profile cases of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). He has indicated that he may have to cut back on his legal work.
“I don’t think [there is a conflict of interest in holding both positions, but]… I may have to scale down or forego [my legal work]. When I get there, I will have to see what I have to do. Sometimes the work there [at the PSC] will be more than what I have to do in the courts,” he noted.
Nevertheless, the PSC Chairman has said the new members will soon be meeting to devise a strategy in regard to their working plan going forward.
“Well, the first piece of business, I would think, is for us to meet and have a meeting with the members, to decide what we gonna do and how we gonna strategise to deal with members of the Public Service… I’m new to it, so when we get there at the meeting, then we will know exactly what we have to do, and start our course,” he posited.
This new Public Service Commission carries a lifespan of three years.
