The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government has terminated the contract of Dawn Holder-Cush who has served as Director of the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) since 2015.
In an invited comment Holder-Cush, a former magistrate explained to Stabroek News that her contract has been terminated without notice or reason.
The three-year contract signed on July 7, 2018 was the second contract signed for the position. The first was initiated in 2015 and expired in June 2018.
“The first order of business of the new CCAC Board chaired by Dolly Sukhdeo and including Cathy Marton, Nalini Singh and former Commissioner Ramesh Seebarran, was to terminate my services and indicate that I will be paid one month’s salary in lieu of notice,” she explained.
The letter sent to the Director indicated that the Board was acting on behalf of the government.
Asked if any of her actions as Director could have led to her dismissal, Holder-Cush said none.
“My only sin is that I didn’t support the PPP/C. No minister can say I’m not professional. I have publicly supported the APNU+AFC on social media as is my right,” she stressed adding that her post did not grant her access to state secrets which would be compromised by her politics.
She said that she has always been professional in her conduct throughout her career across several Caribbean territories.
“I worked in Anguilla, Mont-serrat and Turks and Caicos. I gave those governments the same service I gave to the Government of Guyana,” she said, adding that this professionalism was demonstrated when she showed up to yesterday’s board meeting even though she was on leave.
“I decided to give this Minister and the Board my support by being present at their first ever meeting and was asked to leave. I reminded them that I was an ex-officio member and was asked to grant them ‘a few minutes’ after which I was presented with this letter,” she noted.
According to Holder-Cush she is considering her legal options and will be consulting a lawyer today before deciding on the way forward.
