Town Clerk refusing to take annual leave should have raised a ‘red flag’

Dear Editor,

 There is an old Guyanese proverb that says: All cassava get same skin, but all nah taste same way.

 The Minister of State within the Ministry of the Presidency had indicated, some time ago, that the administration had a zero tolerance approach on public officers refusing to take their annual leave and instead opting for payments.

 However, it seems as though the Minister of Communities did not get this memo, as he continues to allow the Town Clerk of Georgetown to decline to proceed on his annual leave since taking up the position more than two years now.

 The fact that this officer has refused to take his annual leave whilst others are made to take theirs should raise a red flag. The fact that this officer travels in short spurts abroad, leaving a few trusted and loyal cohorts to keep the show on the road whilst he is gone, but nonetheless directs operations from his roaming cellular telephone, should make them suspicious.

 What makes this public servant so indispensible that he is prevented from taking his vacation leave, while other public officials carrying out far more important functions are made to take theirs?

 Clearly, this officer could not ignore the regulations with such impunity without the encouragement and fiat of some one or more of his functional superiors encouraging it.

Sincerely,

 Mark Roopan