By Emmanuel Joseph
Pedro Shepherd is now free to resume duties as a Government-paid teacher. Fellow teacher Alwyn Babb wants Government to clear his name and compensate him for the “conviction”.
They were both charged last year by the Ministry of the Public Service under General Order 3.18:1 for contesting the January 2022 general election and were suspended with half pay.
Shepherd, the
Two public school teachers who were disciplined for contesting the January 19, 2022 general election are anticipating an end to the action against them, with one willing to go to the law courts if he is not vindicated and his salary restored.On the heels of a High Court ruling that the General Order 3.18:1 ban on all public officers actively participating in politics is unconstitutional, Pedro Shepherd and Alwyn Babb say they are hopeful of a favourable resolution to their matters.Furthermore, Babb, a prominent track and field coach who claims his reputation in the sport has been impacted by his disciplinary action, is expecting to be able to resume his duties and recoup the salary he lost out on.Last April, both teachers were sent on half-pay leave for six months for allegedly breaching General Orders 3.18.1 and Paragraph 2 (h) of the Code of Discipline when they ran in the elections on a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) ticket – Babb in St Peter and Shepherd in St Michael South East,
By Fernella Wedderburn and Emmanuel Joseph
A High Court judge has struck down a regulation that prohibited all public servants from actively participating in politics, ruling it unconstitutional.
Justice Westmin James said on Tuesday that General Order 3.18.1 is also “inconsistent” with the rights to freedom of expression and association which are enshrined in the Constitution of Barbados.
“The regulation is overly broad,