Take advantage of public service appellate tribunal – Yarde

President of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Patrick Yarde urged public servants to take advantage of the newly resuscitated Public Service Appellate Tribunal to have their concerns addressed.

“I will urge them to take the opportunity because there are many of them, there are outstanding cases in the court to be addressed, quite a few of them did not even go to the court because of expenses. Now it is better facilitated, it is better; more fairly facilitated,” Yarde urged.

He noted that the GPSU was an integral stakeholder towards the establishment of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal. The acting Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman said he hopes public servants use the tribunal to register their displeasure with any decision the Commission takes.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon said the resuscitation of the tribunal means public servants would not have to wait for a prolonged period to have their cases heard. “Several public servants with concerns, including concerns with the PSC, with the promotions, appointments, termination of service had no other recourse than going to the court and several of those matters have been left there, waiting to be heard, part heard and some of those cases Judges have actually left the bench and so setting up of this Tribunal has been one of the important things we had to do,” Harmon said.

President David Granger on Wednesday swore in former Appeal Court Judge, Nandram Kissoon as Chairman of the tribunal along with Attorney Abiola Wong-Innis and former Education Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Winston Browne to serve as members.

Article 215A of Guyana’s Constitution establishes the Public Service Appellate Tribunal to hear appeals of any matter which the Public Service Commission, the Teaching Service Commission, and the Police Service Commission or the Commissioner of Police is empowered to make a decision. The matter would have to be reported to the Tribunal.

The Tribunal, by law, consists of a Chairman and not less than two other members appointed by the President. Someone who is, or has been a Judge of the Court of Appeal or eligible to become a Judge, would make the cut as Chairman while one member must have experience in administration, personnel management or public affairs and the other person a representative of public service organisations.