Dean-Roy Bernard to be assigned as supernumerary permanent secretary

Minister of Finance and the Public Service Dr Nigel Clarke announced this afternoon that effective June 28, this year, Dean-Roy Bernard will be assigned to the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport as supernumerary permanent secretary.

Clarke told his parliamentary colleagues that Bernard is being reassigned in keeping with a Supreme Court decision in March.

The court ruled that Bernard's reassignment in February 2019 to the position of director general in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service was unconstitutional.

Prior to that transfer, Bernard was permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Youth.

His position has been created under the Civil Service Establishment General Order 2023 which was approved by the Lower House earlier this afternoon.

However, in his new position Bernard will not be the accounting officer at the ministry. 

The current permanent secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is Denzil Thorpe.

“The Financial Administration Audit Act and other ancillary acts recognise one accounting officer per ministry and that is the permanent secretary,” Clarke said.

He said the position of supernumerary permanent secretary existed in the past and was now being recreated in order to honour the ruling of the court.

Clarke said that all ministries currently have permanent secretaries.

- Edmond Campbell

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