Unspecified disciplinary action taken against Petrojam’s HR manager

Petrojam's embattled human resources manager, Yolande Ramharrack, is currently facing unspecified disciplinary action, Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriation Committee (PAAC) was told yesterday.

"Formal charges have been laid. The process will progress accordingly," Audrey Sewell, permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, said in response to queries from committee member Fitz Jackson on a status report on the entity.

Jackson reminded the committee's chairman, Dr Wykeham McNeill, that at the last meeting, he asked of the permanent secretary questions about the human resources manager, given the breaches that had occurred during the hiring process.

"The response here is saying that disciplinary proceedings have commenced," Jackson said, reading from the document he was holding.

Ongoing discussion

Sewell told the committee: "I would have to be advised by the Petrojam board and the executive of whatever action is taken, and we have been having ongoing discussion, and that's the update I got. And it's written, too, that disciplinary procedures are in place now. Formal charges have been laid, and they are going through the process."

McNeill asked to be updated on the happenings at the entity.

Sewell later told the meeting that she was asking for sensitivity on the matter.

"Mr Chairman, the information about the disciplinary proceedings, so as to not seem to be prejudicing or influencing the process, in terms of the written report that I gave in response to the question, and about which I have said that disciplinary proceedings have commenced, I would ask that it be treated with sensitivity because we would not want any accusation that it is being discussed publicly and may influence the process," she told the meeting.

Sewell also asked that sensitivity be exercised in reporting on the matter.

Ramharrack made headlines earlier this year when it was revealed that she had been hired without the requisite qualifications and that her salary moved by nearly $3 million in less than three months. She replaced Roselee Scott-Heron, who held a diploma, undergraduate and post-graduate degrees, plus a number of other certificates.

Scott-Heron went to court over her dismissal.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com