IN her absence, Government members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday paid tribute to former Clerk of the Houses of Parliament Valrie Curtis, but the Opposition did not join in the gesture, instead it reiterated its call for a letter written by House Speaker Juliet Holness reprimanding her be withdrawn and a public apology given.

After Leader of Government Business in the House Edmund Bartlett opened the tributes, praising Curtis for “giving yeoman service for almost three decades”, Leader of Opposition Business Phillip Paulwell expressed concern that the former clerk “has departed with this tremendous cloud that exists and we know that we could not come here today to pay meaningful and sincere tribute unless that issue is dealt with”.

A week before Curtis retired, Holness had, in the contentious letter, reprimanded Curtis for failing to comply with her ruling on the tabling of reports.

The House Speaker had ruled in November last year that reports from the Auditor General’s Department (AGD) on public bodies would be tabled, in keeping with Section 30 of the Financial Administration and Audit (FAA) Act.

The Speaker’s letter was in relation to the two special audit reports of the Financial Services Commission and Tax Administration Jamaica the AGD had sent to Parliament on December 28, 2023 and January 29 this year, which the Speaker said were received in breach of the ruling she made in the House of Representatives on November 7, 2023.

“Our position has been that it was an unfortunate letter and we believe that letter should be withdrawn. But more so, and based on her own words, it was a tremendous embarrassment to her, to her family and friends, and in addition to the withdrawal of the letter, there should be a public apology proffered,” Paulwell said.

He told the House that he has not heard any Member of Parliament speak negatively about the work and conduct of the former clerk, “and that’s why we could not come here and in paying tribute to her not have her present but also to have this cloud remaining after such…a long and distinguished career in the public sector and in particular with this Parliament.

“I’m committing that the Opposition will find some time when she’s back to pay tribute for the work that she has done for this country”, he said.

The House Speaker, in her tribute, however, did not indicate that she would be withdrawing the letter, noting instead that the letter has not been placed on Curtis’s personnel file and stopped short of apologising.

“Our differences in perspectives on a particular administrative matter and the resulting procedural communication to her was never placed on her HR [human resource] record, but which has unfortunately been circulated in the public domain was never intended to distract from her years of service and valuable contribution to the Parliament. Therefore, it is important for me to state that I continue to hold the retired clerk in high regard and acknowledge her contribution and not allow that to be overshadowed for any reason. The former clerk has left an indelible mark on the Parliament, and it is our hope that she will enjoy her well-deserved retirement,” she said.

Also speaking on the administrative matter during his tribute, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said it has “cast a certain unfortunate shadow on a career that has well served this Parliament.

“I think we can all agree that what has transpired in the public domain is indeed unfortunate. I would say, however, that in the course of professional relationships there will inevitably be differences in perspectives, there will inevitably be administrative and procedural differences. But as the Speaker has said, when it comes to assessing the overall contribution of the individual…nobody can question the commitment of the individual, the contribution of the individual that we must be fulsome, that we must be forthright,” he said.

“As the former clerk retires and moves on to other things, we wish her well, and she should know that she has the respect, love, and admiration of the Parliament of Jamaica, which she served unreservedly,” he added, while agreeing with the Opposition that there should be a special arrangement made to allow Curtis to receive the tributes in person.

It is understood that Curtis, who proceeded on retirement on April 6, is not currently in the island.