Dominican Atlee Rodney, who was appointed Commissioner of Police in the twin island state of Antigua and Barbuda, has found himself in an uncomfortable situation, after a high court judge ruled yesterday that his employment was unlawful, null and void.
The decision followed a motion filed by former Police Commissioner Wendel Robinson, who now practices as an attorney-at-law.
Rodney was appointed Commissioner of Police in February 2020, three months after Robinson was terminated, stripped of his rank, his pension, gratuity and other allowances that he would have accumulated during 32 years and 10 months of service in the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda.
In his June 2020 declaration, Robinson told the court that his termination as Commissioner was unlawful, null and void and infringed his constitutional rights; that the decision to strip him of his pension rights and gratuity was unlawful and unconstitutional; that the decision to remove him was unreasonable and motivated by bad faith or improper purposes and breached the rules of natural justice.
Justice Ann-Marie Smith ruled that the termination of the former commissioner was unlawful, null and void.
“Except for constitutional reliefs, the court agreed and declared everything else in the reliefs sought,” Robinson told the media in Antigua and Barbuda last night.
He also declared that it was unconstitutional for him to be deprived of having his appeal heard before the Police Service Board and that it was unconstitutional, unlawful, ultra vires, null and void to appoint Rodney as the new commissioner in light of how he was terminated.
It is not clear what the next step in the matter will be.
I don’t think he wants to be reinstate he has move on and doing well in his profession, all he seeking is justice and compensation
Why did that to somebody after 32 years of service and cannot prove the allegation. That’s injustice, they need to pay him for 62 years of service after a trial rule in his favour.
I love Commissioner Rodney and believes he will do a better job leading the Dca Police Force than the current chief. However, he is in a hot seat through no fault of his. Rather than accepting a reduction in rank and working under “Back-Door” operating Robinson if he is brought back, he should apply elsewhere in the Caribbean, take what Antigua gives him and move on. Leave the Antiguan government and the Back-Door operating police force in their comes.
Well Rodney might just have to give up the position of commissioner (he currently holds) if Robinson is reinstated……, and if he cannot work with Robinson then he resigns!
The rule of law works well in every other Caribbean country or jurisdiction but my country, Dominica…If the man was wrongfully dismissed, reinstate him….!
In Dominica Vescot Jones is still languishing,while Skerrit is sucking EC$64000.00 every month from tax payers.
By the very look of Dominican Atlee Rodney, he seem to be much better than what Dominica has gotten for police commissioner over the past 17 years from 2004:
The famous/infamous 3 C’s:
Carrette
Carbon (the dumbest)
Corbette
One of them even returned to a DLP crony, an unlicenced firearm..!!
Another one said he knows who is wanted re a barrel of guns which came to our shores.. To date????? NADA!
Wonder if down the road, those idiotic commissioners cannot be dragged before the court to answer questions under oath, even if they are…
I’m confused. The first paragraph says “ high court judge ruled yesterday that his employment was unlawful, null and void”
Then the 5th says “ the termination of the former commissioner was unlawful, null and void”
There is nothing confusing there. Robinson was terminated and Rodney replaced him as chairman commissioner. It stands to reason the if Robinson was wrongly dismissed, the person in his place is wrongly appointed.
wow wow wow, this is some serious s***.