Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall today terminated the employment contracts of the Director of the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) Dr Clive Thomas, and his Deputy, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer.
The rest of the staff have also been sent packing.
In correspondence seen by this publication, Nandlall told both officers that The SARA Act specifically provides the manner in which they should have been appointed. Those procedures were not followed.
SARA DIRECTOR TERMINATION LETTER
He said that in relation to the appointment of the Director and Deputy Director, the Schedule states in Section (1) that the National Assembly shall – (a) By a simple majority; and (b) On the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments, Appoint the Director and Deputy Director of the State Assets Recovery Agency.
SARA DEPUTY DIRECTOR TERMINATION LETTER
Further, in Section 1 (4) of the Schedule it is stated that the Director and Deputy Director shall be informed of their appointments by the Clerk of the National Assembly: (4) The Clerk of the National Assembly shall by letter inform the Director and the Deputy Director of their appointment.
Moreover, the terms and conditions of the appointment of persons to the posts are provided for by Section 2 of the Schedule, which states that their term of office shall be determined by the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments.
Nandlall said that both officers appointed themselves and determined their term of office, in complete disregard and violation of the aforementioned provisions. An action was filed in the High Court challenging their appointment and that action is also pending.
