Director of Youth on administrative leave for one year, four months

The country’s Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael, has been on administrative leave for a year and four months.

The new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson has described the situation as untenable, saying it needs to be resolved to fulfil the mandate of the post.

Carmichael was sent on leave in April 2019 and has been receiving her salary of $289,000 and other benefits since then.

Carmichael’s appointment was made under the then Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport.

She was sent on leave following a request made to the Public Service Commission (PSC) that she be removed from the post.

The Department had stated that Carmichael was sent on leave as a legitimate step in an ongoing investigation.

It stated that, as part of the process, the PSC instructed that Permanent Secretary, Melissa Tucker, engage the Guyana Police Force in an attempt to bring resolve to the matter.

The Department had stated that the directive to send Carmichael on leave was a result of months of discussions between it and the PSC, and that the Youth Director was afforded due process to the fullest extent of the public service rules and regulations.

“Detailed correspondence, as well as other evidence, provided led to the Commission’s recommendations. To suggest otherwise is to impugn both the competence and integrity of the Commission.”

The Department did not say why Carmichael was under investigation.