Hon. Paul J. Lewis
Leader, People’s Democratic Movement (PDM)
Montserrat

September 24th, 2024.

Her Excellency Mrs. Sarah Tucker
Governor of Montserrat
Government House
Montserrat

Your Excellency,

I am writing to express my grave concerns about what appears to be a clear display of bias and favoritism in the recent handling of civil service recruitment, specifically in relation to the swift advertisement of the position for the Director of Postal Services, contrasted with the inexplicable delay in advertising two other significant posts within the civil service.

It has come to my attention that the post of Director of Postal Services, a position recently vacated by a Civil Servant, who has now entered the political arena as a Candidate of the PDM Party, to contest the upcoming October 24th elections, was advertised with remarkable urgency. The deadline for applications has been set for October 23rd, 2024 – conspicuously, the day before the elections. This rapid action raises serious questions about intent, particularly given that two senior positions are yet to be advertised; the Chief Statistician within the Ministry of Finance, and the Parliamentary Counsel within the Legal Department, both of which were vacated by two former civil servants as far back as July 22, 2024. The postholders for these two positions have both since declared for the ruling MCAP Administration.

This discrepancy is glaring. It is difficult to view the swift advertisement of the Director of Postal Services post as anything other than a deliberate move to ensure the exclusion of the previous postholder, now a PDM Candidate, from reapplying, should she not secure a
Parliamentary seat. The delay in advertising the other two vacant posts, however, suggests a stark contrast in treatment and gives the appearance of favouritism towards those affiliated with the ruling MCAP Administration.

As Leader of the People’s Democratic Movement and Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, I find this situation deeply troubling. Your role, as head of the Civil Service is to ensure impartiality and fairness in the administration of government affairs, especially during an election period. What is happening here undermines confidence in the neutrality of the civil service and raises serious concerns about the integrity of the upcoming elections.

I am therefore calling on you, as Head of the Civil Service, to immediately instruct both the Office of the Deputy Governor and the Human Resources Department to advertise the positions of Chief Statistician and Parliamentary Counsel without delay, and with the same deadline date of October 23rd, 2024. Failure to take swift and equitable action will leave me no choice but to escalate this matter. I will be forced to bring this to the attention of international election observers, the British press, and the highest levels of Parliament in the UK. The democratic process in the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat must remain free and fair, and any actions that taint this process with bias or political interference are unacceptable.

I trust you will take this matter seriously and act with the necessary urgency to rectify what isclearly a breach of fairness and proper governance.

Yours sincerely,
Hon. Paul J. Lewis
Leader of the People’s Democratic Movement