INTERDICTED!Head of Women's Affairs Bureau sent home after audit findings

Erica Virtue

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has confirmed that executive director of the Bureau of Women's Affairs, Faith Webster, has been interdicted and is receiving half pay following recommendations by the Office of the Services Commissions, which instituted disciplinary proceedings against her.

"Mrs Faith Webster has been interdicted on half pay, consistent with the Public Service Regulations for the institution of disciplinary proceedings.

"In respect of the institution of these disciplinary proceedings, the matter was referred by OPM to the Office of the Services Commissions for its necessary action," said the Prime Minister's Office in response to queries from The Sunday Gleaner.

The Prime Minister's Office also moved to clarify what it said were inaccuracies in a previous media report

Not escorted from building

According to the OPM, there was no truth to reports carried in the electronic media that there were two audits, and that Webster was escorted to her desk and then ushered out of the building.

"Mrs Webster has not been dismissed by the OPM, she has been interdicted. There was one audit which was undertaken by the OPM's internal audit team. Mrs Webster was not escorted to her desk and ushered out of the bureau. The senior director of human resources travelled to the Bureau of Women's Affairs in a separate vehicle after a meeting was held with Mrs Webster at OPM," the response said.

"The senior director arrived at the bureau when Mrs Webster was departing the building," the response said.

The OPM added that a senior member of the its team has been assigned temporary oversight responsibility for the management of the bureau in the absence of Webster.

Late last week, Webster told The Sunday Gleaner that she would not comment on the allegations against her.

Webster was appointed executive director of the Bureau, an agency of the then Ministry of Information, in 2008.

She joined the Bureau of Women's Affairs in 1997 as a public education training officer. She moved up the ranks to become policy analyst in 1999, and in 2001 became director of policy and research. In 2005, she became (acting) executive director of the bureau.