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Governor and Deputy Governor Respond to Breach of Ministerial Code of Conduct in Ministry of Home Affairs
His Excellency The Governor Martyn Roper and Deputy Governor Hon. Franz Manderson have issued the following statements in response to the breach of Ministerial Code of Conduct by Minister Bush. This breach has resulted in the reassignment of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The statements are as follows:
His Excellency The Governor
I support the decision taken by the Premier with regards to Minister Bush and understand his reasons for taking these measures. It is crucial to the good functioning of our democracy that Ministers respect the constitutional boundaries and separation of powers. Section 55 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct states clearly that public service appointments and civil service issues are the Governor’s responsibility, a power that is largely delegated to the Deputy Governor as Head of the Civil Service.
Our good governance rests on full observance of our Constitution and I urge all elected representatives to fully respect the separation of powers. For example, Ministers who use their position to influence which individual is selected for public service roles would be infringing on the Constitution and represents political interference. Ministers have a responsibility to act with integrity and to uphold the highest standards of behaviour towards everyone in our community, in particular, our civil servants with whom they work closely. For its part, the civil service will continue to do its utmost to implement Ministers’ objectives and policies’.
Deputy Governor
I too support the decision taken by the Premier with regards to Minister Bush. As Head of the Civil Service I am responsible for ensuring all staff feel respected and valued in the workplace. I take these responsibilities seriously and when concerns are brought to my attention, as in this case, I will take action as set out in the Public Service Management Act.
It is also my duty to ensure that the civil service remains apolitical. Now that action has been taken to address the serious concerns raised by civil servants, I will ensure that the Civil Service continues to serve the Elected Government and work to make the lives of those we serve better.
