The Public Service Union (PSU) has announced that one of its members is taking legal action against the Public Service Commission, challenging the validity of two appointments to the House of Assembly made last year.
Deborah Charles was appointed as the new Clerk of the House of Assembly in June 2023, replacing Nicole Herbert who had retired after serving in the role for 25 years. Simone Williams-Huggins was also named as the Deputy Clerk of the House of Assembly.
The appointments of Charles and Williams-Huggins were met with criticism from the Opposition New Democratic Party and the PSU, with the latter even calling for Charles’ appointment to be revoked.
The legal case against the Public Service Commission was filed by Celena McDonald who has worked in the House for more than 10 years and holds a Master’s Degree. She argues that the appointment of Charles and Williams-Huggins were unfair and unlawful, and violated the principles of selection and promotion.
The claim filed by McDonald also calls for the appointments of Charles and Williams-Huggins to be overturned. The case is set to return to court in May.
This is not the first time the PSU has challenged the Public Service Commission’s actions. In 2019, the Commission was found to have violated the regulations of fairness, transparency, and efficiency with the promotions of five civil servants.
PSU president, Elroy Boucher, emphasized that the appointments of Charles and Williams-Huggins were “flawed and illegal,” and that the union will always challenge appointments that are made in violation of regulations.
