Ministry of the Public Service clears the air
Thursday, February 26, 2015
by Ministry of the Public Service
Following is the full text of the ministry's response to statements made by the CSA President in a television interview last evening.

On Wednesday 25th February, 2015Ms. Mary Isaac made a number of grossly inaccurate statementson the Helen Television News which aired at 7:00 p.m.  The Ministry believes that it is imperative to respond to those statements in an effort to provide public officers and members of the public with the accurate facts on the matters raised, including the rights of public officers as it relates to their attendance at trade union meetings and to dispel the notion of impropriety on the part of this Ministry.

By letter dated 18th February, 2015 the Saint Lucia Civil Service Association (CSA) requested permission to grant time off to members of the CSA in accordance with Order 4. 17 of the Staff Orders of the Public Service of Saint Lucia and Article 5.2 of the Collective Agreement between the Government of Saint Lucia and the CSA to attend an “Extra-Ordinary General Meeting” with its members, inclusive of members within the essential services.  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss:

  1. ‘ Update on negotiations between the St. Lucia Civil Service Association and the Government of Saint Lucia
  2. A petition  submitted to the General Secretary on 9th February, 2015’

By minute dated 24th February, 2015 the Ministry informed Ms. Mary Isaac, Acting General Secretary that Article 5.2 of the Collective Agreement stipulates that time off may be granted ‘provided reasonable notice is given and that the Employer’s business is not affected.’ The Ministry informed Ms. Isaac that the time she requested, which is 9:00 a.m., will disrupt the operations of the Government Service and therefore the Ministry could not accede to this request.  The Ministry also informed Ms. Isaac, that the CSA should RESCHEDULE the meeting to a time that is more appropriate. 

The rights of members of the Civil Service Association as it relates to their attendance at Union meetings are governed by the Staff Orders for the Public Service of Saint Lucia and the Saint Lucia Civil Service Association Collective Agreement.  The Ministry wishes to unequivocally state that the said documents do not indicate that members of any Union have the right to attend Union meetings without seeking the approval of their Permanent Secretary or Head of Department.   On the contrary Order 4.5 (1) of the Staff Orders for the Public Service clearly stipulates that ‘An officer who absents himself from duty without permission except in the case of illness or other unavoidable circumstances shall render himself liable to disciplinary action.'

The said provisions of the Staff Orders for the Public Service of Saint Lucia and the CSA Collective Agreement are well known to Ms. Isaac and other executive Union officials; hence the reason why Ms. Isaac sought permission from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Public Service for the members of the CSA to attend the extraordinary meeting.

The Ministry also noted that Ms. Isaac made comments, which imputed unfairness and bias on the part of the Ministry.   The Ministry takes umbrage at these distasteful, false and insolent comments which were made by Ms. Isaac.   The CSA is well aware that it is incumbent on the Ministry to ensure that trade union meetings are held at an appropriate time. A meeting at 9:00 a.m. for all members of the CSA including officers from the essential services will cause a serious disruption to Government service and it will  be a major inconvenience to members of the general public who urgently require government services and who have travelled a long distance to access those services. 

Further, the statements made Ms. Isaac namely that the “Ministry has their friends”, “the Ministry has always responded to their requests that way” and “the Ministry has always been negative to this particular executive” is unequivocally false. Our records evince that during the period of Ms. Isaac’s tenure the Ministry has approved thirty four(34) requests submitted by the CSA for officers to be given time off to attend CSA meetings, during a period of eight (8) months.

The Ministry wishes to preserve the respectful and cordial relationship that it has had with the CSA and it expects that officials from the CSA will be more responsible in the advice that it provides to their general membership and truthful in the information that it disseminates to the general public. 

The information stated herein is verifiable and can be fact checked.