PRIME Minister Bruce Golding yesterday confirmed that Major Richard Reese has been removed as permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, and announced that the ministry’s chief technical director Dianne McIntosh would act in the position.

No reason was given by Jamaica House for the removal of Reese, who has been reassigned to the Local Government Division in the Office of the Prime Minister as director general, which is a rank below that of permanent secretary.

REESE… takes up new post March 15 1/1

The prime minister also announced that Devon Rowe, director general in the Office of the Prime Minister, would be transferred to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service as director general.

“The transfers, which will take effect on March 15 are being made by the governor general, acting on the advice of the prime minister and in accordance with section 126 (3) of the Constitution,” Jamaica House said.

There have been suggestions that Reese, who had previously served as the commissioner of corrections, was removed from the security ministry because of the damning report into the Armadale fire which killed seven female wards of the State last year.

In the meantime, the human rights group, Jamaicans For Justice, yesterday questioned the “dubious circumstances” under which Reese was removed and demanded answers from the Government.

“What is the reason for his removal? We can’t get a straight answer. I can’t imagine that it is Armadale. If it is then surely you would remove the person who the report said was primarily responsible. The person who the commission found was not believable and found to have made the decision in an inhumane way,” said the group’s executive director Dr Carolyn Gomes.

Reese, Gomes said, is an upstanding public servant who had made significant progress while sitting as permanent secretary in the security ministry.

“We are disappointed. He has made the most improvement in that job, especially in the areas of forensic science and the witness protection programme,” Gomes said.

The Jamaica Observer