Civil servant LeYoni Junos was unlawfully dismissed from her job but not because she was a whistle-blower or the victim of political interference by Premier Ewart Brown, a judge ruled today.

Ms Junos launched a civil action after losing her position as administrator of the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Foundation last April.

She claimed in Supreme Court that she was fired after raising the alarm about alleged fraudulent activities by Henderson Associates Inc., a Department of Tourism contractor with whom she said Tourism Minister Dr. Brown had close ties.

Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley dismissed her claim for reinstatement and did not agree that she had a legitimate expectation to have been employed in the post until the legal proceedings began.

But he did find in favour of her claim that her temporary contract was unlawfully terminated, meaning she is due backdated pay from May 2008 to February 19 this year, when a permanent appointment was made to the post.

He allowed her claim on one of two alternative grounds — the first being the contention that the contract did not entitle premature dismissal and the second that if it did, the manner in which it was conducted was unlawful.

The judge awarded costs to Ms Junos, who represented herself. He said: “The applicant’s suggestions that she was the victim of political interference by the Minister or terminated on covert but unjustified disciplinary or other punitive grounds because she was, in effect, a whistle-blower, are not made out by the affidavits in any event.”

Ms Junos said: “The light has been shone on the legal regulations that govern employment in the Civil Service. I think it will definitely have an impact.”

See tomorrow’s edition of The Royal Gazette for the full story.