(Jamaica Gleaner) Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna is not backing down from her position that cultural expert Sydney Bartley cannot continue as the permanent secretary (PS) in her ministry.
Bartley has gone to court in an attempt to block efforts to force his early retirement after allegations of sexual misconduct were levelled against him, but Hanna is firm that he must go.
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on March 3, Hanna said while she has no power to retire or dismiss Bartley, based on the allegations against him, she believes that with the trust and integrity implications, he cannot continue in the ministry.
“I told the applicant (Bartley) that … I would not be comfortable with his continuing to have overall responsibility for the protection of children in Jamaica. I remain firmly of that view,” said Hanna as she responded to documents filed in the court on February 26 by Bartley.
He had gone to court to prevent what he said was an effort to force his early retirement or the risk of interdiction.
In documents filed in the Supreme Court on February 26, Bartley named Hanna; chief personnel officer in the Office of the Services Commission, Dr Lois Parkes; and Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon-Harrison as respondents.
‘ACTED UNREASONABLY’
In his claim, Bartley asked the court for a declaration that Hanna and Parkes “acted unreasonably, recklessly and in excess of their power” when they decided to send him on “premature retirement, failing which [he] would be interdicted from duty on half salary”.
Bartley also asked the court for judicial review to quash a stop order which he said was placed on him at the nation’s ports.
According to Bartley, Hanna failed to give him an opportunity to respond to the grounds on which his premature retirement was being sought, sent him on this premature retirement without any decision being made by the governor general, and “is interfering with … [his] ability to resume duties as permanent secretary”.
He said Parkes failed to conduct “any or proper investigations into the charges or allegations of misconduct (against him)”, before interdicting him at half pay.
In his affidavit, Bartley charged that on January 16, Hanna called him into a meeting and told him that the Office of the Children’s Advocate had received a report alleging inappropriate behaviour on his part.
Bartley said at a subsequent meeting, he was told by Cabinet Secretary Douglas Saunders that he had two options: to go on early retirement, or be interdicted pending investigations.
He said he was later instructed to take vacation leave and apply for early retirement while on vacation.