Opposition Leader, Arnhim Eustace, says he will contest the ruling of the Labour Department ordering him to pay his former secretary, Rishatha Nicholls, EC$16,199.99 in severance pay by Oct. 18.
“We will appeal that process. We will go through that whole process,” he told I-Witness News on Sunday.
Nicholls told I-Witness News separately on Sunday that she would prefer not to comment on the ruling yet.
“I really and honestly choose not to comment on that matter. He still has to comply. He still has to make his decision,” Nicholls said in reference to her former boss.
Nicholls was Eustace’s secretary from Aug. 1, 2001, until March 28, 2013 when she was fired.
The termination letter said she was dismissed for failure to prepare the vote book, loss of confidence by Eustace in her, and for using “for [her] own purposes” part of contributions donated to Elwardo “E.G.” Lynch, a former host of the New Democratic Party’s daytime radio programme.
“Among the reasons he gave seems to include the letter from Mr. Lynch indicating that she would pay him back the money,” Eustace told I-Witness News in reference to the ruling by hearing officer, Cecil M. John.
“So he seems to have taken a decision, which we don’t agree with, but we will deal with that,” Eustace further said.
The hearing officer eliminated, for lack of evidence, the loss of confidence and misappropriation of funds reasons Eustace gave for firing Nicholls.
At the hearing on Sept. 26, Eustace was represented by Counsel Bertram Commissiong QC and advisor, St Clair Leacock.
Nicholls represented herself.
(Read earlier story: Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace fires his secretary)
People need to get thing straight. If she stole money, just come out and say it, because the NDP is being made to look like the bad guy here. Time to stop pussyfooting round issues and say it. IF SHE STOLE MONEY CALL HER OUT.