GREENE

The Local Government and Environment Ministry has sought the advice of Solicitor General, Michael Hylton, in the wake of the dismissal of Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Errol Greene.

Environment Minister, Dean Peart, confirmed Mr. Greene's dismissal following alleged irregularities at the NSWMA.

Mr. Greene was sent on leave in September last year pending investigations into allegations of impropriety involving a company which obtained contracts from Metropolitan Parks and Markets and Western Parks and Markets which are associated with the NSWMA.

Notice

Mr. Peart told The Gleaner/ Power 106 News that the Solicitor General advised that if Mr. Greene were to be dismissed without cause then he should be given a month's notice or paid in lieu of notice.

"We have done that, the letter has gone to him today (yesterday) but we have again contacted the Solicitor General to see if there is anything else that he is entitled to. The Solicitor General says he will put that in writing to us and we are now awaiting a response and whatever he is entitled to he will get," Mr. Peart said.

Mr. Peart said Mr. Greene is also to be informed of the decision for him to return to his substantive post as town clerk at the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).

However, checks by The Gleaner/ Power 106 News revealed that up to late yesterday evening, Mr. Greene had not yet received a letter of dismissal from the Environment Ministry or the board of the NSWMA.

In the meantime, Mr. Greene said he had been advised by his attorneys not to speak on the matter.

The Gleaner/Power 106 News obtained a copy of a letter written by NSWMA chairperson, Ethlyn Norton-Coke dated February 19 to the Environment Minister in which she indicated that she was not happy with the one month notice invoked in Mr. Greene's contract under the circumstances.

Mrs. Norton-Coke pointed out that while she had earlier agreed to the one-month notice "if the police are not able to report to the board in a detailed way as to its findings incriminating Mr. Greene supported by an affidavit, then in all circumstances I cannot agree to the one-month notice invocation bearing in mind the Solicitor General's advice in respect of damage to his reputation."

Mr. Greene, who previously served as chief executive officer for the Kingston City Centre Improvement Company, was appointed executive director of the NSWMA in May 2005.