PUP’s Henry Charles Usher Defends Abelardo Mai Jr. Appointment Amid PSU Scrutiny

Usher also addressed the hiring of Abelardo Mai Junior as Acting Director of the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority, saying Mai has been in the public service for years.  The appointment has drawn scrutiny from the Public Service Union, which has written to Public Service CEO Rolando Zetina requesting records to establish whether the required recruitment and approval procedures were followed. The union says it received information that qualified serving officers were not given an opportunity to compete for the post.  Speaking with Love News, Usher pointed to Mai’s years of public service.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service: “It isn’t a contract, first of all. He was transferred. He was working in the government service at the Ministry of Economic Transformation. He applied for the post when there was a vacancy. If you would recall the previous manager of the Solid Waste Management Authority was dismissed by the Public Service Commission and she had appealed dismissal to the Belize Advisory Council, so we had somebody acting. Mr. Mai is now acting in that post as appointed by the Public Service Commission.”

Prime Minister John Briceño has also defended the appointment. He says Mai holds a master’s degree in business administration and previously worked in the Ministry of Economic Transformation. According to Briceño, the acting appointment is for six months and is intended to address management problems at the authority.  The PSU has requested a written response and supporting documents within fourteen days of receipt of its letter. It says that if the required procedures were not followed, the appointment should be reviewed and the position advertised