Public servant is on 12 years suspension with pay

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Suspended public servant accused of defrauding State still getting paid...

A public servant who worked in the Office of the Parliament and who was charged with attempting to defraud the State has been on suspension for the past 12 years and continues to be paid by the State, with no trial date in sight.

This case was cited by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at his last news conference on March 23 as an example of “deep failing across the board” when it comes to delivery of justice.

In 2011, temporary clerk 1 Danny Lutchman was charged with conspiracy to defraud the Office of the Parliament.

During the protracted period, one of the MPs whose offices was affected, Hedwidge Bereaux, passed away.

The accounting executive who discovered the alleged fraudulent activity has since retired and is now resident abroad.

In the 12 years that he has been on suspension, he has been paid approximately half a million dollars in salary.

Seven years after its commencement and three years after he was committed to stand trial at the Assizes, the matter has not yet reached the High Court because the matter is awaiting the issuance of an indictment by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Because Lutchman is a public officer who was recruited by the PSC, and not a contract officer, he cannot be fired.

The PSC can only put him on suspension with half-pay until the matter is determined.

https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/ ... 7d844.html

[ProtonPowder]

Approx half million in salary after 12 years= approximately 42k per year= approximately 3400 per month.

This person was a Clerk I fresh into the civil Service? He was most likely doing this for somebody else. They protecting somebody much higher up. If this was all about a Clerk I, it wouldve settled a long time ago.

They were, in fact, friends of his who, having been fraudulently paid a salary, paid back a portion to him, it is alleged.

[VexXx Dogg]

B W D F M C I T I S H

Crime does in fact, pay.

[MaxPower]

Hovie ppl

[Chimera]

That 3400 a month is half pay eh

[ProtonPowder]

At the time, though a clerk 1, Lutchman acted in a higher position, and was partly responsible for all aspects of constituency payments.

He was probably acting Clerk II or Accounting Assistant, acting long enough for that postition's pay to be considered at half during suspension.

Basically the same thing that happening to public servants acting long time in positions before they retire and have their pensions calculated at the acting position.

[Dizzy28]

All service commissions are antiquated relics of our colonial past that we refuse to change for some reason.

This is actually not the worse example of what going on except for the crime part. There are teachers out there making their name using that service commission inefficiency as well.

[pugboy]

Mariano Browne has been writing weekly in the express on a sunday about the public service structure for a few months now

long and short is there is actually very little you can do to discipline public servants and even though we like to say its the permanent secretary who has the say and not the minister, it is still not really possible to clamp down on persons just so

[alfa]

Which govt going to revamp the entire public service from health to teaching to police and security when this is their biggest vote bank. Nothing will change in our lifetime

[Dizzy28]

Was in a meeting a few years back and senior public servant (could be a PS or DPS) said the Service Commissions are enshrined in the Constitution therefore only constitutional reform could deal with them. That would mean a special majority would be needed to deal with it or consensus between both parties.
Now if only we had a Govnt that had such a majority in recent times!!!!

[pugboy]

still begs the question which govt going to have the balls to make such changes to the ppl who just voted them in ?
unions etc will have a cow as well

Was in a meeting a few years back and senior public servant (could be a PS or DPS) said the Service Commissions are enshrined in the Constitution therefore only constitutional reform could deal with them. That would mean a special majority would be needed to deal with it or consensus between both parties.
Now if only we had a Govnt that had such a majority in recent times!!!!

Capture.JPG

[pugboy]

it also explains why first thing govts do when they get in office is to form separate special purpose companies to do things
so as to circumvent the regular public service folks

[Ben_spanna]

PERFECT example of why Public servants MUST not have any protection by the disgustingly corrupt and disfunctional PSC, and why public servants should be able to Dismissed when there is reasonable findings against them.

[st7]

loll i'm a lil surprised hover eh huffing and puffing

[MaxPower]

Jason?

Where you bro

[pugboy]

public servants know how to sit tight

[paid_influencer]

that man failing upwards yes

[Cantmis]

This is why some people rush to work in public service, but they slowly destroying the country.

[MaxPower]

This is why some people rush to work in public service, but they slowly destroying the country.

Yep they rush to work because of the “benefits” and the get out of jail free cards due to piss poor management.

Its the lackadaisical attitude that contributes to the destruction of our country.

[ruffneck_12]

must be nice

But could he get another job in this time? Would NIS or BIR or whoever kick up a fuss?

Idk bout this part here

[Dizzy28]

must be nice

But could he get another job in this time? Would NIS or BIR or whoever kick up a fuss?

Idk bout this part here

NIS or BIR don't care if you have multiple jobs. It's more money to them if you do.
TD1s actually have a section for other emolument income.

[zorced]

We could hope this is a rare blue moon incident but it really is not.

All sorts of punishable offences happen and even with concrete evidence the gov't appointed boards mismanage or sleep on the cases so much that the accused end up getting years of paid suspension and then counter-sue for defamation, career damage etc. This is the bs our state resources fund and it continues to happen for a reason.

Crime legit pays here.

[Dizzy28]

it also explains why first thing govts do when they get in office is to form separate special purpose companies to do things
so as to circumvent the regular public service folks

Special purpose companies don't help the taxpayers nah. I remember reading a story a few years back about a guy who won a payout from PTSC for wrongful dismissal. I think this was his 3rd payout in the 2000's from three different state enterprises with the first one being Airports Authority.
I'll see if I find the link to the story.

Once political badmind exists taxpayers always have some frivolous bill to pay.

[pugboy]

does anything the govt forces on to do ever help tax payers?