High Court Dismisses Claim Against the Security Services Commission

Earlier today, Justice Tawanda Hondora dismissed a case brought by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Bart Jones. The case, filed in 2023, aimed to review a decision by the Security Services Commission that recommended the Governor General retroactively promote Doctor Richard Rosado. Doctor Rosado, represented by attorney Wayne Piper, joined the case as an interested party. DCP Jones challenged the promotion, questioning seniority and whether there was an available position in the Belize Police Department for Doctor Rosado’s promotion.

 

Wayne Piper, Attorney-at-law

“The claim by Bart Jones was to seek the court to quash the decision to appoint Dr. Rosado, to promote Dr. Rosado on a certain date.  The issue that was taken was that the date was earlier than the promotion date of Mr. Jones, which was seen as giving him seniority, giving Dr. Rosado seniority over Mr. Jones.  The decision of the court was, I would say, we can summarize it threefold.  One: that the promotion to the effective date, the court found a little difficulty with the challenge to that decision because Mr. Jones, himself, was a recipient of a retroactive promotion and there wasn’t enough evidence.  The court’s position was that there wasn’t enough evidence led by the claimant to substantiate why the earlier date of Dr. Rosado should be circumvented.  The other issue was the issue of seniority and in that position the court took the view there was a difference between the Public Service Regulations and the police force manual.  Where the police force manual would have referred to Mr. Jones as junior, the Public Service Regulations has a provision that once the promotion is within six months of the other date, then they’re both at the same level.  The court found in favor of the Public Service Regulations having superior effect over the police force manual.”