Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Greene

Weeks after getting the nod from the Office of the Services Commission to return to his former post as Town Clerk at the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC), Errol Greene is being faced with an obstacle.

Mr. Greene has instead been sent on 145 days' vacation leave by the KSAC. He should have resumed duties at the KSAC on September 17.

"I have not seen any formal communication from the KSAC, but I am in possession of a letter that was sent to my lawyer advising my lawyer as such (of the vacation leave)," Greene told The Gleaner.

Mr. Greene said the vacation leave was accumulated over several years at the KSAC because he had never gone on vacation leave since he went to the organisation in 1999. But the question as to why at this time he was being sent on leave, he could not answer.

"Under the Staff Orders, if people have accumulated vacation leave over time, you can send them on vacation," he tried to explain. "I believe that is what happened in this particular case."

No response from mayor

Attempts to get a response from Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie were futile.

"I have absolutely no comment on the matter," he told The Gleaner yesterday.

The Gleaner learned that Mr. Greene's fate was decided on Tuesday at a special committee meeting. Mr. Greene had reported to work on Monday, September 17, but was told by the mayor he had not received any communication from the Services Commission about the resumption of his duties and informed him that he would hear from him soon.

Since then, he said, he has been waiting to hear from the mayor.

Yesterday, Mr. Greene expressed disappointment over the new turn of events.

"... I was looking forward to going back to work, but I understand this is part of the course and these things do happen," he said.

But when The Gleaner spoke with People's National Party Councillor Angela Brown-Burke, she said the council was as one in Mr. Greene resuming his duties.

"… As far as I am aware, while Mr. Greene was here, he performed admirably; we all said that privately in the chambers and publicly, and I am not aware of anybody in the KSAC saying any differently," she told The Gleaner.

No problems with Greene

Jamaica Labour Party Councillor Rosalee Hamilton also said she had no problems with Mr. Greene.

In 2005, Mr. Greene was transferred from the KSAC to the National Solid Waste Management Authority as executive director, to clean up the agency, but was later accused of breaking the rules. He was sent on leave and an investigation conducted.

The case was not proven against Mr. Greene. This triggered a legal dispute between Mr. Greene and the agency. According to the agency in a statement on the weekend, this has been resolved.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com