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Gov't says no plot to pressure Labour Ministry permanent secretary

Published:Wednesday | February 3, 2021 | 7:21 PM
Colette Roberts-Risden faced a barrage of intense questioning from Government lawmakers at Tuesday’s sitting of the Public Accounts Committee.

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information Robert Morgan has dismissed suggestions that government lawmakers were part of a “plot” to pressure Permanent Secretary Colette Roberts-Risden to part company with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Roberts-Risden faced a barrage of intense questioning from Government lawmakers at Tuesday’s sitting of the Public Accounts Committee.

READ: Grilling of PS linked to ouster plot, say insiders

The committee was examining the Auditor General’s annual report which, among other things, pointed to a culture of unresponsiveness to issues flagged by internal auditors at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.


IN PHOTO: Robert Morgan

Government members of the PAC seldom join forces to hammer away at public servants in their questioning as this may appear to show the ruling administration in a bad light.

Several high-ranking officials of the ministry claim that the tough grilling was the latest “chess move” to have the permanent secretary shipped out and away from Karl Samuda, the portfolio minister, who has reportedly not hidden his dislike for his most senior technocrat.

But at this morning’s Post-Cabinet press briefing, Morgan declared that he was not aware of any coordinated government action to dismiss public officials at the ministry.

“You could make an argument if you wish about the questioning, but then you would have to base that argument on whether the questioning was fair or unfair. I cannot make such a judgement. That’s for the committee to decide in their right as legislators in how they interrogate matters that are before them,” said the state minister for information.

He said to accuse the government of plotting to get rid of a high-level public servant without evidence was irresponsible.

“Until the evidence arrives then I can just dismiss it forthwith,” he added.

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