Airports Authority accused of discriminating against security officer over hairstyle

Estate Constable Joshua Wallace and his alleged
Estate Constable Joshua Wallace and his alleged "offending hairstyle." -

THE AIRPORTS Authority (AATT) is being accused of discriminating against an estate constable because of his hairstyle.

In a legal letter sent to the Authority’s general manager last week, attorneys Anand Ramlogan and Jared Jagroo said Joshua Wallace’s hairstyle does not amount to improper attire, not does it compromise the security of the AATT since it is neatly groomed and kept covered by his uniform headdress.

Wallace is also vice chairman of the Estate Police Association (EPA) local branch board. According to the letter, he reported for duty on April 23 in his full uniform, paraded with the security force and was dispatched for traffic duty.

At a meeting with the inspector of operations, he was told to remove his uniform headdress for inspection, and if he did not he would be disciplined.

He was told his hairstyle was in breach of the Police Standing Order.

“It is unreasonable to now strong arm our client into adjusting his hair style which is concealed from the public under the guise of threatened disciplinary action,” the letter said.

“A policy which seeks to compel persons to cut off the locks of their hair which are worn for religious reasons can also amount to breaches of the constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religious belief and observance.

“Moreover, we consider policies or practices that discriminate against hairstyles to be a deleterious form of racial discrimination. Such a policy is designed generally prohibit or restrict non-Eurocentric hairstyles in the name of “professionalism,” and can be traced to our societies’ roots in colonial white supremacy,” the letter said.

It added that Wallace, felt offended and embarrassed when told about his hairstyle since he keeps the hair on the back and side of his head short and neat. The hair to the top of his head is braided in a single plait and is concealed by his uniform headdress.

Wallace told his superiors he was a Black Jew, or Black Hebrew Israelites, and was a follower of the Old Testament and the teaching of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

“As a staunch believer of the tenets of those tribes, our client is required to grow the locks of his hair, similar to those members of the Rastafarian faith,” the letter said.

Jagroo added that Wallace began wearing the top of his hair in a neat braid around May 2019, and before this when he wore a “flat top” hairstyle, it was never an issue.

He was asked to submit a report, which he did, and was given a memorandum on May 23, he was required to conform to the Police Standing Order 6 or face disciplinary sanction.

Jagroo said over the years, in his 14 years as an estate constable, Wallace has seen officers of different religious persuasions wearing religious items and many officers, both male and female, wear their hair with similar hairstyles.

“He has also observed an officer with a Rastafarian hairstyle be promoted to the rank of corporal without any complaint of a violation of any policy on appearance and turnout. Several officers of the Hindu faith are also allowed to sport a “churki” or long lock of hair grown from the back of the head worn by Hindus performing the last rights of family members,” the letter added.

“This is a clear indication that our client is being unfairly victimised because of his religious belief and practice. Our client believes that part of the reason for this discriminatory treatment is on account of his position as vice chairman of the local branch board of the Estate Police Association. During his tenure our client has been subject to several attacks under the guise of disciplinary charges, the most recent being his suspension together with other EPA members for attending a press conference which highlighted security issues at the AATT,” the letter alleged.

It added, “The keeping of a braid to the top of his head by our client is a non-issue as it is well concealed by our client’s head piece which forms part of his uniform. The visible parts of our client’s head are always short and neat in keeping with general professional standards.

“In fact, our client’s superiors were not concerned with his hair until he began to attend meetings in his capacity as vice chairman of the EPA local branch board during which, he would remove his uniform head piece,” the letter added.

The letter asked the AATT, in a freedom of information request, for its policy relating to the appearance and attire of estate constables while on duty; the names of all estate constables who have been charged with disciplinary action as a result of failure to comply the policy and the outcome of the disciplinary action for the period 2006 to 2020; copies of all correspondence, investigative reports, findings and recommendation in the possession of the AATT regarding Wallace on his alleged non conformity with the policy on appearance and attire of estate constables.

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"Airports Authority accused of discriminating against security officer over hairstyle"

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