HEAD of the Agriculture Programme Cycle Unit under the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Cecil Seepersaud has resigned as a commissioner on the Public Service Commission (PSC).His resignation stems from a motion filed in the High Court in June, 2016, by one Gregory Mentore, saying that his being a PSC commissioner is unconstitutional.

In his resignation letter, dated December 28, 2016 to Minister of State, Mr Joseph Harmon, Seepersaud said:
“It has become evident that it is not viable to serve as an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture and function on the Public Service Commission (PSC) at the same time. Since my preference is to serve at the Ministry of Agriculture, I am prepared to resign from the PSC.”
Seepersaud went on to say in the letter:
“With His Excellency, the President’s approval, I am resigning my position as a member, and as Deputy Chairman of the PSC as of December 31, 2016.”

Minister Harmon, in response, wrote telling Seepersaud on December 30, 2016 that his resignation has been so approved by President Granger.

AGAINST THE LAW
When contacted for a comment, Mentore, who describes himself as a concerned citizen, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that Seepersaud should have done the decent thing and resigned immediately after it was brought to his attention that as a high-ranking public servant, his being on the PSC was in violation of the Constitution, rather than allowing the matter to be taken to court.

Mentore said that according to the Constitution: “A person shall not, while he or she holds, or is acting in the office of a member of the PSC or within a period of three years commencing with the date on which he or she last held or acted in that office, be eligible for appointment to, or act in any office of power to make appointments to which is vested by the Constitution in the President acting in accordance with the advice of the PSC or in that Commission.”
Noting that the president had spoken at length on the subject, Mentore said:
“President David Granger had publicly signalled his serious commitment, as it relates to respecting, obeying and applying the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
“In this regard, I am confident that the president would correct the blatant violation of the Constitution of the country.”