Casseres looses case against government

April 06, 2011 5:15 AM

Former corps chief Carlos Casseres was put in the wrong this morning in his case against the government for breach of contract.

Casseres had demanded a two year-salary as compensation. The judge granted him three months remuneration during the term of notice. The case came before the Court on 29 March.

In a short reaction, his lawyer Gelmer Pieter says he considers the phase that his client concluded a long and successful career with the corps as very important. “That is for our satisfaction and the opposite of what the government wanted to make the judge believe. The money is an unimportant matter.” The government’s lawyer Chester Peterson stated that current Minister of Justice Elmer ‘Kadè’ Wilsoe was no longer satisfied with the functioning of the corps chief and had accused him of having a drinking problem.

The previous government had renewed Casseres’ contract with two years on 8 October last year. Casseres was to pull the procedure of further developing the police corps. He had already reached the retirement age. Minister Wilsoe (PS) informed Casseres in writing last December that the followed procedure and the civil instrument used for such, could not pass the administrative-judicial test. Wilsoe therefore used the possibility to terminate the contract with a term of three months, up to March 31st. “I thank you for your services rendered to the country during your term of office”, Wilsoe wrote. Casseres was laid off formally per 1 January and denied access.

Judge Beukenhorst states there was question of a ‘normal’ agreement, with a term of notice of three months. The government did not abuse its authority. As both parties were put partly in the wrong, the legal costs will be settled. The government had to pay Casseres during the three-month term of notice. Casseres could appeal to a higher court, but according to his lawyer they will take that into consideration.

6 April 2011

Carlos Casseres was represented in this case by Gelmer Pieter; attorney Chester Peterson represented the Government.