Duke tells WASA director: Retract your letter

PUBLIC Services Association (PSA) president Watson Duke on Wednesday called upon Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) executive director Dr Lennox Sealy to retract a letter sent to him on Monday, threatening to dismiss him from WASA.

In response to Sealy's letter, Duke's attorney Imran Ali wrote to Sealy saying there was no basis for Duke to be dismissed. Ali said any such action would be "harsh, oppressive and amount to a criminal offence and unconstitutional." He asked Sealy to respond to his letter.

Duke said Sealy has not yet replied to his lawyer's letter. He said he was awaiting a response and hoped Sealy would officially retract his letter.

"My lawyers are in their running shoes and they're waiting to take decisive action at the drop of a hat or the flick of a finger." Last month, Duke said he was on no-pay leave from his managerial post at WASA and would not be returning to it.

He reiterated that "victimisation for trade union duties is a criminal offence and can be pursued and prosecuted at a magistrates court or in an industrial court." Duke also reiterated that Sealy was wrong to say him being political leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriors was in violation of the Civil Service Act.

"It is...my constitutional right to have, be part of a political organisation and express political views."

Duke said forcing him to choose between being PSA president and a WASA employee, violated his constitutional right of freedom of association.

On Monday, Duke dared Sealy to fire him.In a video on Facebook, Duke said he would not be replying to the April 14 letter from Sealy. "I will not respond! If you name boss, you fire me!"

In the letter, Sealy said WASA had previously written to Duke about the "untenable nature of the indefinite time off for union's business" he was taking. He said WASA wanted a written response from Duke "relative to his continued employment" at the authority by March 26.

Having received no reply from Duke on that date, Sealy said Duke's continued employment with the PSA was "not in the best interest" of WASA.

Duke told WASA workers the PSA had a plan to make WASA "take a breath and pause for a cause" if any attempt is made to shut it down, and told them their jobs were safe.