Fireman hot over promotion bypass

And, if a fireman his junior was found to be more qualified on the basis of other considerations, DFO Siewnarine Ramsaran contended in his lawsuit, then Ramsaran is entitled to make representation to prove he also might be equally capable.

Had there not been a provision in the Public Service Commission (PSC’s) regulation governing promotions which mandates that when a junior officer is promoted over the head of a senior, the latter ought to be told why, Ramsaran would have accepted his fate.

In the interest of fairness, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan argued before Justice Devendra Rampersad in the San Fernando High Court, regulation 160 (3) of the PSC invites an officer who has been denied promotion though he is next in line to make representation on his own behalf.

Ramsaran, of Egypt Village, Chaguanas, filed the lawsuit against the Chief Fire Officer and the PSC, in which he stated that he was promoted to FSO 12 years ago, and last year, he was elevated to Divisional Fire Officer.

That was on February 4, 2016, but four days later his colleague Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Marlon Smith was promoted to the same position.