Suspended PSA accuses Duke of tainted actions

Although suspended from the Public Service Association (PSA), Ian Murray and Shalene Suchit-Dwarika have no intentions of taking PSA president Watson Duke to court.

Murray who holds the post of vice president and Suchit-Dwarika who is the first general secretary said they were wrongfully suspended but would not waste time behind the matter. They received suspension letters on Thursday morning from Duke.

At a press conference on Friday morning at Gaston Courts in Chaguanas, Murray alleged that Duke has been constantly attacking him through various means.

He said, “Since my public announcement of my withdrawal for support of Duke on September 18 this year, I have been prepared for this moment – an illegal, wrongful and unjustified suspension.

“His first attempt to intimidate me into silence was a ridiculous pre-action protocol letter for defamation of his character, which I successfully defended through my attorney by demonstrating that the words disrespectful, self-serving and irresponsible were indeed fair comment.”

Murray and Suchit-Dwarika are also contesting the PSA election under Murray’s Labour Warriors team for the posts of president and vice president, respectively. Earlier this week Justice Nadia Kangaloo postponed the November 23 PSA election to December 14 citing discrepancies and irregularities with the voters’ list.

Murray accused Duke of using the union’s constitution conveniently to further his personal agenda and has violated articles 39 (b) and 99 (3).

He said, “Following my television interview on a popular morning show, Duke decided to misquote and misrepresent the constitution of the PSA to suit his petty and despicable purpose.

Murray noted that the main reason for not pursing legal action was not enable Duke to further postpone elections since he has interests in other upcoming national elections in January 2021.

He said, “We have taken a decision not to take legal action against the suspension as it would mean taking our union and not the offensive individual to court.

“It is members’ dues that has constantly funded his tyranny as the PSA has to pay the legal bills for both the claimants and defendants attorneys in the matter. It is the members’ dues, their hard-earned money that has to pay whatever exemplary damages the court rightfully awards.”

Dwarika-Suchit also claimed that Duke’s reasoning for her suspension has been unfounded and was also being attacked.

“Duke has been trying his best to discredit me and remove me from office and sabotage the election process for quite some time. In fact, he asked me to apply for vacation leave the moment the election date was announced.

“This circumstance of placing a non-elected deputy general secretary, a candidate on his slate, to act in my position as general secretary was his ambition. Yesterday (Thursday) was the culmination of many previous under handed attempts to prevent a free and fair election.”

She said the allegation of not producing copies of minutes and agendas were untrue and the documents were presented.

“While was not responsible for the period he requested, I produced it and he saw it. This (suspension) letter I received yesterday (Thursday) was uncalled for and a complete fabrication and he is aware of that.

“I categorically deny that I have done anything wrong. I have done the best that I can do with the limited resources given. My integrity and my ethics remain intact and cannot be blemished by one person who has already proven his lack of integrity and ethics.”

Suchit-Dwarika was suspended base on claims that she did not produced requested documents to the PSA executive, general council and conference of delegates from December 2013 to October 23, 2020 by November 6 for audits.

The letter further stated that her failure to follow through with the task had left the operations of the PSA in jeopardy, “thereby causing the PSA to become the butt of jokes regarding its accountability and transparency withing the PSA elections.”

Newsday attempted to contact Duke for a comment about the claims from his rivals but was referred to a Facebook live on Friday afternoon addressed the issue.

He said in the Facebook live that the Murray and Suchit-Dwarika were distractions and did not fulfill their responsibilities under the PSA constitution which led to the suspensions.

Duke said, “They are lazy. Ian Murray’s responsibilities exist to assist the president. That is his only role. He is a vice president; what he thinks he is?

“He trying to ‘pappy-show’ me, coming to work whenever you want, stay home whenever you want to and trying to make the public feel that they should feel sorry for him.”

Duke also defended himself against claims from Suchit-Dwarika who questioned his ethics and integrity about the reasons used for her suspension.

He said, “Why hasn’t she complied the requested information for the audit, but instead gave flippant excuses. They have no right to lead the PSA.”

Duke also dismissed claims that he used and uses the PSA’s funds for election campaigning.

“There is a chartered accountant who is well qualified that is employed by the PSA and follows the standards set by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). If our accounts are bad don’t blame me.

“They are talking folly and trying to give the impression that Duke who was interfering (with the accounts).”