Justice DG Terminated

Mar 23, 2021 | News | 0

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has terminated the Director General (DG) of Justice and Community Welfare, Dorosday Kenneth Watson, Thursday last week.

Acting Secretary (AS) of PSC, James Melteres confirmed the termination made by the Commission.

AS Melteres said Ms Watson was given 14 days to respond following the investigation made by PSC, but that did not convince the Commission.

She was suspended on the month of December last year following reports filed by the Minister of Justice, Esmon Saemon.

Minister Saemon made an allegation that Mrs Watson was no longer cooperating with him at the Ministry of Justice.

The report received from PSC January this year was that they believe that this action came following the recent decision of the Council of Ministers to remove the Ministry of Justice and to replace it with the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Affairs.

The now sacked Director General had contested the plans of the executive arm of government to rename that Ministry of Justice and obtained the services of a lawyer to take the matter to Court.

Late last year the Supreme Court reviewed the judicial application ordered that the Council of Ministers’ decision regarding the restructuring of the Ministry of Justice and Community Services into a Ministry of Fisheries, Ocean and Maritime Affairs be stayed pending final determination of the claim for judicial review in the proceeding.

On March 2, 2021 the Supreme Court found that the Claimant, Ms Watson, had an arguable case that the decision by the Council of Ministers to restructure the Ministry of Justice was in breach of the processes outlined under Government Act.

Justice Viran Trief Molisa has listed the matter for trial.

The Court has made it clear that matter before it is only concerned with reviewing the process by which the decision under challenge was made.

The Court also stated that it is open for the Republic of Vanuatu, as Defendant, at any time to revoke the decision for its non-compliance with the requisite process, and make a new decision in accordance with the provisions of the Government Act

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