PNM Tobago Council political leader Ancil Dennis has accused a THA secretary of firing a contract worker in her division.

Describing the move as “political victimisation,” Dennis said the action taken by Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael was tantamount to “wickedness and spite.”

He claimed the termination of contracts has been a common feature of the Farley Augustine-led THA since it assumed office after the December 6, 2021, THA election.

“It has happened several times already,” Dennis claimed on Wednesday during a news conference at the PNM Tobago Council’s headquarters, Scarborough.

“Contract officers are at risk because a secretary could get up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning or a secretary could see you waving a PNM flag if you are a PNM or a secretary could just dislike you for no reason and decide that your bread and butter done.

"Nothing for you. Go home.”

Dennis said during his tenure as chief secretary, the THA had standardised contract arrangements for contract employees at three years because previously “there were some anomalies.”

Workers would have only received one and two-year contracts in certain cases, he added.

Dennis said as far as he was aware that policy has not changed.

He noted in the public service politicians are responsible for policy.

“There are certain operations where they must not get involved because we run the risk of eroding our democracy and giving politicians the clout and the power to influence certain things in the public service against political opponents or people they may dislike.”

Dennis said they ought not to get involved in procurement, recruitment and matters relating to personnel and industrial relations.

He told reporters of a case in which an employee, a graphic designer, was “engaged” with the Division of Health since April 26, 2013.

The worker, he said, received an assumption of duty document from the division’s human resource department on May 16, 2022.

Dennis said on June 2, 2023, the HR department wrote to the administrator seeking covering approval for the worker for the period May 16, 2022- May 15, 2025.

“The performance appraisal report indicated that he performed satisfactorily and is recommended for continued employment.”

He said the administrator of the division accepted the recommendation and minuted the secretary.

But on June 7, 2023, Dennis claimed the secretary rejected the worker’s employment for the specified three-year period, May 16, 2022-May 15, 2025.

He said the worker was instead granted a one-year contract for the period May 16, 2022- July 15 2023. No further engagement on the contract was to be facilitated beyond July 15, 2023.

Dennis said, “So you are not giving three years. You are giving one year contrary to the policy. No explanation given. If it was a matter of performance and you committed to giving one year then maybe after the one year you would consider whether the individual should continue but again the point here is that is not the secretary’s b