High Court orders gov’t to pay former finance secretary for unlawful dismissal

Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 June 2025, 21:09 by Writer

Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire on Tuesday ruled that a letter sent by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall on 13 November 2020 dismissing then Finance Secretary, Michael Basil Joseph was unlawful and so she awarded him two months’ salary and costs in the sum of GY$350,000, his lawyer Lyndon Amsterdam said.

Mr Joseph had filed a Claim against the Attorney General through his lawyer claiming damages for wrongful dismissal after the Attorney General sent a letter dated the 13th November, 2020 terminating his employment by giving him one month’s notice.

The former Finance Secretary had contended that his dismissal was unlawful because his initial contract was amended on 28 July 2020 and the amendment required the Government to give him three months’ notice in writing or three months’ salary in lieu of such Notice.

However, the Attorney General contended that the amendment between the Finance Secretary and the previous coalition Government was done after the passing of the No Confidence Motion and since at that time the Government was considered a caretaker Government then the amendment of the Contract was illegal and unenforceable, Mr Amsterdam said in a statement.

The Chief Justice, although agreeing that the Government at that time was a caretaker administration, nevertheless, ruled that it could have lawfully amended Joseph’s contract of employment to three months and, therefore, he should have been paid three months’ salary in lieu of termination of his contract instead of one month as was done by the Attorney General in his letter dated 13 November 2020, Mr Amsterdam addd.

Accordingly, the Chief Justice ordered that the Government pays the former Finance Secretary two months salary and costs in the sum GY$350,000.