A case that's before the High Court shows that recently the Ministry of Health and Wellness discovered that forty-two (42) permits for pharmaceutical importation had allegedly been issued fraudulently and without authority by drug inspector Amini Galvez.
As per procedure, the ministry then reported what it classifies as major misconduct to the Public Service Commission, but the commission had some procedural SNAFU's and allegedly failed to adequately follow through on its allegations of misconduct. That resulted in the PSC withdrawing the disciplinary proceedings.
So, the Ministry went to court, to ask the court to compel the PSC to resume with this proceedings. And, Justice Goonetilleke in his decision found that the Public Service Commission was wrong to withdraw disciplinary proceedings against Ms. Galvez. An Order of Mandamus was issued to the Public Service Commission to continue and conclude the disciplinary proceedings.
We asked the Minister of public service about this case today and he walked us through the commission's disciplinary proceedings.
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service, Governance & Disaster Risk Management
"I'm not familiar with the details of that particular claim that is in the court, but I am familiar with the Amini Galvez case. And whenever there is a disciplinary procedure or action taken against a public officer, it goes to the Public Service Commission. Now, it is important that the department or the ministry brings forward the case, follows the procedures set out in the public service regulations. It Gives due process and, to the public officer, this is a matter of natural justice that they are given an opportunity to respond to whatever the allegations are. It goes to the commission.The commission is a constitutionally appointed body that then makes a determination and if the public officer feels that that decision is not one that they support, they can appeal to the Belize advisory council. In this particular case, the Ministry of Health, I believe, was not happy with the decision made by the Public Service Commission. So they have applied for judicial review. I didn't know that that case had started yesterday, though."
By the court's order, the hearings are to resume as soon as practicable.
