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Director of Youth wasn’t acquitted, probe still ongoing – Govt.
A recent statement by political commentator, Rickford Burke, claimed that a police investigation of the Director of Youth at the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, Melissa Carmichael uncovered no crime. The Department has responded that this is not entirely accurate, as the probe is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, Carmichael has responded to the Department’s claim that she was afforded due process to the fullest extent of the public service rules and regulations.
“This claim is utterly false and misleading.” Carmichael said.
“No one from the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth & Sport, Ministry of the Presidency, or the PSC has ever discussed any allegation of wrong doing with me. I was never spoken to, or written to, about any allegation of wrong doing whatsoever. I was never afforded a hearing to discuss or defend myself against any allegation of wrong doing.”
Carmichael said that she only received a correspondence on April 26, 2019 from the Public Service Commission (PSC) that she should proceed on administrative leave.
Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael
She said that she was not provided with any evidence that led to this action.
“To date, I do not know the reason for this directive.”
“I committed no wrongdoing and therefore deny any allegation against me.” Carmichael said.
Burke had accused Permanent Secretary, Melissa Tucker, of lying to the PSC and falsifying records to create an impression that she previously sent Carmichael several prior warning letters on the issue.
The Department, headed by Minister George Norton, maintained in a statement yesterday that due process was afforded to her. It said that she was engaged on the matter, and that it is grossly inaccurate to feign ignorance.
Carmichael had also made claims that she was mistreated and harassed by Tucker, so much that it caused her to suffer a miscarriage.
The Department has distanced this accusation from the ongoing investigation, saying that Carmichael’s claim of harassment and mistreatment are not true, and that her health complications occurred prior to the discovery of “irregularities” within the Department.
It states: “PS has simply executed what she is mandated to do within her role as Permanent Secretary.”
Carmichael had reportedly emailed Tucker about the alleged harassment’s effect on her health, after which she was called into a meeting with Tucker and Minister Norton.
The Department’s statement provided that the meeting was meant to address the anomalies unearthed within the Department of Youth.
“During that meeting, an apology was requested based on the display of insubordination meted out to the PS during the engagement. Again, Ms. Carmichael failed to comply with what was expected of her, in the capacity of Director of Youth.” The Department said.
It added that it is working with the PSC to bring the matter to a speedy resolve, hence, details of the process can’t be fully disclosed at this time.
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