By Admin. Updated 4:46 p.m., Sunday, September 22, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Two professionals in the public service of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) are claiming that they have been unfairly treated and victimised with one of them losing a job to which he was recently appointed.
In an Instagram LIVE on September 21, Mrs. Shermaine Joseph-Barnwell and her husband – Marsholl Barnwell claimed that they were both subject to unfair treatment which has lasted for years and has now culminated in a transfer for the wife and a dismissal for the husband.
Mrs. Barnwell, an educator has claimed that while teaching at the St. Vincent Girls’ High School she was subjected to a number of mistreatment incidents including being falsely accused of not providing adequate and appropriate instruction to students, and being called “crazy” while at the same time being praised by senior officials at the school for hard work and producing quality CXC CSEC Language and Literature passes at the school since 2012.
She also said that she repeatedly applied for transfers from the school which were repeatedly denied.
She said after years of enduring the mistreatment, she was eventually transferred to a department within the education ministry.
Mrs. Barnwell said it is her opinion that she received the transfer after reports she questioned were “sent to the Ministry, even claiming parents and students had major issues with me,” adding that, in a meeting when the transfer was given the official question about how many students complained in total, the answer given was three (3). “Yet this did not cause any alarm or questions,” she said.
Meanwhile, her husband – a trained financial professional and accountant who was also in education says that he was recently fired from his job hours after an alleged phone call where someone threatened him that another person would get him fired from his new job at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) Inc. where he was recently appointed as the Accountant.
In a letter dated August 15, 2024, obtained by One News SVG, the Argyle International Airport Inc. (AIA) said it would like to offer him the post of Accountant.
“A job description outlining the particulars of this post is attached to this letter and will form part of this offer letter. If you accept this offer, you will be required to take up employment on Monday 2nd September 2024, at the AIA’s Office, Argyle,” the letter stated.
Mr. Barnwell accepted the post and took up duties.
In a subsequent letter, however, dated September 20, 2024, he was dismissed.
The letter obtained by One News SVG, read: “We have been advised today, 20th September 2024, that, contrary to that which was intimated to the Interview panel of the Argyle International Airport Inc., you remain currently employed by the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines through the Ministry of Education, as a teacher”.
“Further, our investigations reveal that given your current and continuing status as a public servant employed with the Ministry of Education you failed to follow the due procedure for permission to take up assignment with the Argyle International Airport Inc. You are therefore ineligible for employment with the Argyle International Airport Inc.,” the letter stated.
“In the circumstances, you are to report to the Ministry of Education on Monday 23rd September 2024, for directions related to your post and duties thereunder. Kindly return any and all company property that you may have in your possession. We wish you the best in your future endeavors,” the letter further stated.
One News SVG spoke to Mr. Barnwell to gain clarity on the situation, and he provided a breakdown of the situation from his employment at West St. George Secondary School to take up employment at AIA.
The couple said they believe a senior official is behind all the struggles they have encountered so far.
From transfer to application to dismissal
Mr. Barnwell said: “So, the first thing that happened was that I applied for a job at the AIA when they had sent out their ads for the accounting position. And in my application to them, it was stated that I was currently employed with the government as a teacher in the education system”.
“Subsequent to that, over the summer, I had got a call from the Ministry of Education from (name withheld for privacy reasons) concerning a transfer from West St. George [Secondary School] to Student Support Services.” He said this occurred on July 18.
He said the official in the Education Ministry informed him that he would be contacted by the coordinator from the Student Support Services as to when he was to assume duties. He was asked if he was okay with the transfer and he said yes.
“Subsequent to that, I received or accepted the offer from the AIA because they called and told me that I was successful in my bid, and I accepted the offer from them. I went for an interview before that, and when they called a couple weeks after, they told me that I got the job,” he added.
“So I’m still trying to accept the job [at AIA], and then I’m still trying to get my documentation sorted, including references and my paperwork,” he said.
“I wasn’t contacted by anybody from Student Support Services, and I wanted to get my documentation sorted because I was under the impression that I could apply for my vacation days, which I’m supposed to be entitled to according to the Civil Service Act. So I was waiting to be contacted by them so I could go down there and sort out my paperwork,” he added.
Mr. Barnwell says the Leave he refers to is Leave prior to resignation, in accordance with Article 6.20 of the Civil Service Orders which says, “An officer or employee who has served for not less than 12 months and resign his appointment after giving the prescribed notice or because of ill-health will be granted the annual and accumulated leave for which he is eligible, provided (a) that leave shall not be included as part of the period of notice of termination of service; and (b) that any officer or employee who, while on duty, resigns and fails to give the requisite period of notice or who is paid salary in lieu of notice will forfeit any leave for which he is”.
“They failed to call up to September 12, where I asked for time off because I had already started duties at AIA from September 2. So I asked for some time to go into town to sort out my affairs concerning my new job, because I still had to get references and everything which I send them emails. I have emails that I said I was still sorting out my documentation. So, I went to the Student Support Services that day, September 12.
He said when he went to Student Services on Thursday, September 12, he did not meet who he was looking for. On Friday, September 13, he received an email from the Ministry of Education.
“So, because I went to Student Support Services to check in, (3:49) I got an email the Friday saying that I was supposed (3:52) to start duties there since August 19, and the date of the letter was actually July 18.
He said while the letter from the Education Ministry was dated July 18, it was never sent to him until September 13, “about two months after the fact,” he added.
He said this meant that when he went to the Ministry on the 24th of August for the meeting with an official, they (the Ministry), “already penned this letter six days before. So, the letter was penned six days before the meeting and not delivered or served”.
He said he contacted an official at the even Student Support Services, who told him a letter was sent to the Ministry the week before saying he never assumed duties at the department.
He said he responded to the ministry’s email to say that he was just receiving their notification about when to assume duties at Student Support Services and that he was “very dissatisfied” and it is “because of these administrative discrepancies is one of the reasons why I want a transfer”.
“I’m trying to transition from the ministry. Please advise. Up to this day, that email has not even been responded to,” he said.
He said he and his wife tried contacting the Ministry to no avail and then eventually contacted an individual who facilitated receiving some documents after which another official at the Ministry said the documents were being processed. These were documents to effect Mr. Barnwell’s transfer from the Ministry.
He said he then received a threat from someone via phone call, someone not within the civil service, saying, “they would ensure that I lose my job, my new job, and by the next day, by the evening, I had received a letter to say that I was terminated (from AIA).
“Another thing too, and with the dismissal, the person actually knew about my dismissal hours before me. When they had made the announcement, and they had told somebody, it was like 3 in the afternoon. I didn’t receive the news until about 5.30 p.m. he said.
”This person is not somebody currently in the service. This is somebody who retired decades ago. So, I don’t know how they were able to ascertain that information, but they were able to know about my dismissal hours before me,” he added.
Some members of the public say the move has raised questions about due diligence in the whole employment process.
Some members of the public have also asked whether secondment can happen at the AIA, which is a Statutory organisation.
The couple both say that they believe there is a main architect behind the issues they have been facing and that person holds high office within the civil service.
The couple said they are “seeking redress” on what one of them has described as “being unjustly terminated before I could properly complete my job transition”.
They said they are hoping for justice in the matter.
END
One News SVG 