Morris Dixon defends transfer of Darlene Morrison, cites PM's constitutional authority

Minister of Information Dr Dana Morris Dixon says Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness exercised his constitutional authority when he transferred former Financial Secretary Darlene Morrison from the Ministry of Finance to the newly established Ministry of Mining and Geology.

Morris Dixon, speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday, said Morrison's reassignment was based on her experience and the Government's intention to maximise the economic opportunities in the mining sector.

Questions have been raised about the timing of the transfer.

Days earlier, Holness, speaking at a special Hurricane Melissa press conference at Jamaica House, accused some public sector workers of sabotaging the Government’s policies and programmes, warning that personnel changes were coming as his administration moved to meet the country’s needs.

“I don’t usually speak in extreme terms, and there are some subjects that it is better not to speak about, but more and more I am coming to the conclusion that there are persons in the public sector who are determined to sabotage, and I don’t say it lightly, delay, derail policies, programmes and initiatives of the Government,” said Holness.

Since then, questions have been raised about whether Morrison's reassignment was connected to those claims or other matters, such as the powers of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) under the Financial Administration and Audit Act.

However, Morris Dixon dismissed any suggestion that the move was punitive, describing Morrison as an esteemed permanent secretary and saying she was well suited to the responsibilities of the new ministry.

“I wouldn’t think that,” she said when asked if there was a link between Morrison's reassignment and Holness' claims about sabotage by some in the public sector.

She said the Constitution allows the prime minister, through consultation and the established process involving the Office of the Services Commissions and the Governor General, to reassign permanent secretaries.

“The Prime Minister, if we go back to the Constitution, the Constitution is very clear in it that the FS [Financial Secretary] is a PS [Permanent Secretary]. And so the Prime Minister, as the Constitution allows, through consultation, and also obviously going through the Office of the Services Commission to the Governor General, can move around permanent secretaries,” Morris Dixon said.

She said Morrison's fiscal background would be particularly valuable as the new ministry takes responsibility for the Clarendon Alumina Production (CAP) operations, which were previously under the Ministry of Finance.

Morris Dixon, who said she had previously served on CAP's board, described the entity as a major burden on Jamaica and said Morrison's experience made her an ideal person to lead the work.

“In addition to that, this entire area of mining, as the Minister has articulated, is a new opportunity for Jamaica. And so you want to put one of your strongest persons in that role. And that's what has happened,” she said.

She also pointed to the potential economic benefits of mining, noting that prospecting for gold and copper was taking place in Jamaica.

“Over time, and we've seen it happen in many administrations across our history, where you have permanent secretaries moved from one entity to another, and you try to move them around to where you think they're best able to support the administration. And this Mining and Geology ministry is a critical one. And the Minister told you, many people don't know that there's prospecting happening for gold in Jamaica and copper happening in Jamaica. This is an opportunity, and we're going to put our best people forward in relation to that new ministry,” the information minister said.

Mining and Geology Minister Floyd Green, who was at the post-Cabinet press briefing, also welcomed Morrison's appointment, saying the ministry was pleased to have a senior public servant with significant fiscal experience.

Green said her background would be important to the ministry's work, particularly in relation to fiscal reform, and described her as someone who understood how to drive the pace of implementation.

Asked whether Holness would respond to calls to provide evidence to support his claims of sabotage in the public sector or withdraw his comments, Morris Dixon said she had not discussed the matter with him.

“So I can't answer you in relation to what the Prime Minister will do,” she said.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.