Low-level public servants should be able to exercise their democratic right to take part in elective politics without fear of victimization.
That is the view of Leader of the Alliance Party for Progress (APP) Bishop Joseph Atherley, who is calling for the “backward” legislation governing public servants to be updated.
Atherley’s comments have come on the heels of the suspension of two teachers who took part in the January 19, 2022, general elections.
Alwyn Babb and Pedro Shepherd, who both ran unsuccessfully on Democratic Labour Party (DLP) tickets, had disciplinary charges laid against them and were sent on half pay leave from Wednesday for six months.
Attorney General Dale Marshall said the disciplinary action was taken by the Professional General Administrative Service Commission and not Government.
However, in an interview with Barbados TODAY the former Opposition Leader said he strongly believed a minister would have been aware of the planned action.
“We know that in our politics action like this is not taken without the knowledge of a minister, without the knowledge of the authorities outside of the public service officials. We have seen instances in Barbados over the years on either side where people who have been involved frontally in the elective political process either as candidates or speaking from platforms have been challenged by the system and have been threatened by those who administer the system with disciplinary action.
“I think that when it comes to public servants and their involvement in the political process we need to significantly reform the legislation that exists. Of course where there are contradictions or matters where we need some clarity we need to make sure that those contradictions are erased and that clarity is given, but I believe that people in the public service up to a certain level of course, should be allowed to participate in the elective process without having to fear that they are going to lose their jobs or any such thing,” Atherley contended.
“I think at the end of the day, people’s professional performance must be judged on professional criteria. So if you run as a candidate for a political party and you are not successful, you should be able to return to your job without fear of victimization and you should not be judged on your partisan sympathies to a party in an electoral process.
“Part of the risk of you taking part should not be the threat that you are going to lose your job. At the end of the day whether you are promoted, whether you are elevated at some point in your career, whatever it is that you can claim as an achievement going forward, should not be something that is denied you because you participated in the process. Judge the person on their professional performance. That should be the standard criteria.”
Atherley said high-level public servants such as judges, persons involved in prosecutions, high-ranking police officers and persons at the rank of permanent secretary should not be allowed to take part in elective politics for obvious reasons.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb
