Jyoti Jeetun survived a first attempt from government to have her removed from the helm of the Sugar Investment Trust (SIT). But her fate is not decided as yet. One can expect more moves from the new rulers to appoint a new chief executive (CE) as the current one is perceived as (politically) too close to the previous regime.

However, a first attempt to revoke her failed to materialise. At a meeting last Tuesday, the board of the SIT decided not to go ahead with a motion requesting her dismissal. The proposal was introduced by Krishnawtee Beegun, who represents the Ministry of Agro-Industry on the board of directors. There was, yet, no one to second her proposal. A legal advice tendered to the directors apparently played in favour of Jyoti Jeetun. The note warned board members that they could be personally liable in the event that the sacking was successfully challenged in court.

A SIT director, who chose not to disclose his identity, told l’express that there is no opposition as such to government and to any government initiatives that could be reasonably attributed to the SIT. However, the Ministry never explicitly stated the reasons why Jyoti Jeetun was no longer fit for the job. Her removal from office under these conditions could have triggered stern retaliatory measures from the aggrieved parties (either herself or interested shareholders). That was likely to cause a lot of harm to SIT. “We would have been exposed to court actions had we endorsed the motion.”

This is a period where several public institutions are seeing changes in their key personnel. The new regime is keen to appoint “its” boys to the various politically sensitive positions in government departments, para-statal bodies and even in ministries.

Former Foreign affairs secretary, Vijay Makhan, found himself asked to vacate office for political reasons. His alleged affiliation to the MSM-MMM has cost him the highest administrative position in the external affairs service following a career of three decades in diplomacy. Vijay Makhan also served as deputy secretary-general at the former Organisation of the African Unity, now the African Union.