There is widespread confusion at the Registrar Generalﾴs Department regarding who is the current registrar general days after Supreme Court Justice Hugh Small ruled that Elizabeth Thompson was unfairly terminated.
The confusion intensified on Wednesday after Ms. Thompson reported to work for a second consecutive day insisting that she is the rightful registrar general.
Employees of the Department were said to be seeking clarification on the matter, given that Shane Miller was appointed registrar general after government officials sought the termination of Ms. Thompson, which came in January.
In his ruling on Monday, Justice Small said there was “procedural irregularity” and Ms. Thompsonﾴs right to be treated fairly was breached and he quashed the January 10 decision to terminate her.
The Journal sought clarification on the matter from Minister of Financial Services and Investments Allyson Maynard-Gibson, who again declined to speak directly to the ruling, but insisted that Mr. Miller remains the registrar general.
“I want to thank the registrar general, Shane Miller, for his full cooperation and focus on the mission at hand for the Bahamian people, which is to deliver full computerization of the registrar generalﾴs services to the Bahamian people by January 1, 2006,” she said.
Asked whether employees at the Registrar Generalﾴs Department should be taking any orders from Ms. Thompson, the Minister responded, “The folks at the Registrar Generalﾴs Department know that Shane Miller is the registrar general.”
She added, “As you well know, there is a legal process by which registrars general are appointed. Mr. Miller has been appointed in accordance with that process.”
The Minister said that it would be for the attorney general, Alfred Sears, to comment on the ruling itself.
But Minister Sears told The Bahama Journal that he was not yet in a position to do that.
He did say, however, “The matter is being reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General and our lawyers are in contact with the lawyers of Ms. Thompson and weﾴre looking at all of the implications of the ruling of Mr. Justice Small and will be providing our advice to the Ministry of Financial Services.”
Minister Sears said itﾴs difficult to say exactly when the whole matter will be resolved.
“I should hope it will be resolved soon. Thatﾴs my hope and my expectation, but itﾴs not entirely within my control,” he said.
Ms. Thompson had said early on Wednesday that she will continue to show up for work. But her attorney indicated later on in the day that Ms. Thompson had received communication from government officials on the matter.
Milton Evans said that the Office of the Attorney General has asked Ms. Thompson not to return to work until further notice as officials work to resolve the matter.
Ms. Thompsonﾴs attorney said he has given the government seven days to bring the situation to conclusion and decide what its next move will be as it relates to Ms. Thompson.
He said this could involve a settlement relating to her emoluments or it could mean a decision by the government to ask Ms. Thompson to return to work as the registrar general.
Meanwhile, the Free National Movement released a statement on the matter on Wednesday afternoon, saying it was watching “with concerned interest” to see how the government responds to the Supreme Court ruling.
“It has been determined that the process put in motion by the Minister of Financial Services and Investments to have Ms. Thompson fired amounted to unfair treatment, and the dismissal of Ms. Thompson has been overturned by the Supreme Court,” the statement said.
“The FNM expects that the government will respect the courtﾴs ruling and do right by Ms. Thompson and bring about a fair resolution to this matter.”
The FNM said the Registrar Generalﾴs Department is already challenged to deliver efficient service to the public, and the present state of confusion is unfair to Ms. Thompson and Mr. Miller, “who was prematurely appointed to succeed Ms. Thompson.”
The party also said the situation is unfair to the staff of the Department and to the Bahamian public.
“All this is to say nothing of the obvious fact that the whole situation arose because of the Cabinet Ministerﾴs reported haughty attempt to throw her weight around, an attitude justice and the courts have now roundly condemned.”
Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
