Retired EPS officers complain to Legislature

Twenty-nine retired personnel of the elite Executive Protection Services or EPS have filed a formal complaint to the Liberian Legislature against their former boss, Director Sam Gaye, alleging wrongful retirement.

The EPS is a plain clothe security unit assigned to the Liberian Presidency. In a communication sent to Plenary on Tuesday, 29 August, they explain that their retirement took effect on 1st June 2017 and they have applied all efforts for reinstatement through the Senate Chairman on National Security, Senator Steve Zargo, but to no avail.

They request the House of Representatives to consider that the country’s 14 years of civil war could not be included to the years of tenure for retirement, and that the National Security Act of 2011 ruled out tenure, only considering age 65 and ill health for retirement.

The retired officers note that any employee who attains the 25 consecutive year’s tenure has an option of waiver, which was denied them by Director Gaye, arguing that the onetime handshake package of US$500 for an employee that serves the state as security for 25 years is unreasonable and should be revisited.

According to them, the EPS is not within the employed of the Civil Service Agency, but their monthly compensation was calculated based on CSA tenure of service, which contravenes the National Security Reform and Intelligence Act of 2011. Therefore, they want the House of Representatives to summon Director Gaye to prove why he should not be held liable for wrongful retirement. The House of Representatives has forwarded the communication to its leadership for scrutiny.

By Bridgett Milton-Editing by Jonathan Browne