3 C.L.R. 1988December27 [A.LOEOU,P.] INTHEMATTEROFARTICLE 146OFTHECONSTITUTION ANDREASDAMIANIDES, , Applicant. v. t . · .THEREPUBLICOFCYPRUS,THROUGH THEEDUCATIONALSERVICECOMMISSION, Respondent. ,, (CaseNo. 25/87). Genaralprinciplesofadministrativelaw—Administrativepractice—Importance of—Consequencesemanating therefrom. EducationalOfficers—ThePublicEducationalServiceLaw, 10/69,section76
(1)anditsproviso—Administrativepractice nottorecognizefor purposes ofincrementsanyprevious servicewithcommunityschoolsabroad,ifsuch schoolsarenotrecognizedbytheGreekMinistryofEducation—Notinconsistentwithsection76
(1). 10 Theapplicantisaschoolmastersince 1959.HavingobtainedleavewithoutpayhewenttoSouthAfrica,whereheservedwiththeGreekCommunity SchoolofNatalinDurban.Hisleavewasterminatedasfrom 31.8.
- HereturnedtoCyprusand waspostedtoanelementary school inLimassol. On 10.
- 1986 theapplicant applied for recognition of his service in overseasschoolsforpurposesofentitlementtoincrementsandpromotion. 15 Havinginquiredintothemattertherespondentsdismissedtheapplicationon theground thattheschool, wheretheapplicant servedduringthe 2601 Damianides v. Republic
(1988)periodofhisleave,wasnotdulyrecognizedbytheGreekMinistryofEducation. Theinquiry was based ontheprovisoto section 76
(1)*of Law 10/ 1969. Applicantcontended thattheprovisodidnotsavepreviouslawsand, 5 therefore,therespondentswronglyreliedonsection16ofLaw7/63ofthe GreekCommunalChamber.Respondentsreplied thattheydidnotrelyon suchsection,merelyfollowedthepracticeestablishedduringthelasttwenty years. Held,dismissingtherecourse: 10
(1)Anadministrativepracticewhichisconsistentwiththecorrectconstructionoftherelevantlegislationisproperlyapplicable(Apassage fromP. M. TseriotisLtd. and Othersv. TheRepublic
(1970)3 C.L.R.135at143followed).Thefactthatithasbeenfollowed fora longtimenotonlymakesitlawful, butalsocreatescertain conse- 15 quenceswhich imposecertain duties namely,areasoning when a changeisdecided.
(2)Thepracticefollowed inthiscaseisnotcontrarytoorinconsistent withSection77ofLawNo.10of1969.
(3)Moreover,theapplicantdidnotbasehisclaimonanyparticularlegal provision. 20 Recoursedismissed. Noorderastocosts. Casesreferredto: P.M.TseriotisLtd.andothersv. TheRepublic
(1970)3CX.R. 135; leromomhos v.Republic,4R.S.C.C.
- Recourse. Recourse against the refusal, of therespondent torecognize applicant's service as a teacher with the Greek Community *Quotedatpp2604·2605post. 2602 ^ 3 C.L.R. Damianidesv. Republic School of Natalin Durban,SouthAfrica as servicefor the pur poses of pension, promotionandincrements. S.Karatsis, for theapplicant. St.Theodoulou, for therespondent. 5 Cur. adv. vult. Λ 10 15 20 .25 30 A. LOIZOUP.read thefollowingjudgment. By the present recourse theapplicant seekstheannulmentof thedecision ofthe respondentComrnission by which itrefusedfcfrecognizehisser vicewith theGreekCommunity Schoolof NatalinDurbanSouth Africa as servicefor thepurposes of pension,promotion and in crements. Theapplicantis aSchool-Master since
- As thefrom 11th September 1973,heservedas aTeacherwith the aforementioned SchoolinSouthAfrica after being givenoriginally leavewithout pay for six months. Thesaidleavewas granted by theappropriate Authority upontheapplication of theapplicant InMarch, 1983, the appropriate Authority sent all the educational officers who were holding a permanent post in Cyprus but were living and workingabroad,aquestionnaire withwhich thereappeareditsintentionnottorenew theleave for educationalists who wereen gaged in teaching work in Greek Community Schools abroad. Theapplicant.continuedworkinguntilthe31stAugust 1986, after "being giventherelevant leavefromtheappropriateAuthority, ex presslyand/orby implication.Theleaveof theapplicantwas terminatedonthe31st August 1986 by letterdatedthe27thFebru ary 1986, andhewas transferred tothe"H"Elementary School of Limassol (KA), in which theapplicant took upduties onthe 1stSeptember
- Theapplicant by letter dated the 10th September 1986, submittedvarious documentsfor recognition of his serviceinover seas schools for purposes of entitlement toincrements andpro motion. TheappropriateAuthority conductedthenthe necesssary 2603 A. Loizou P. Damianides v. Republic
(1988)inquiry from which it transpired thattheschool in which the ap plicantwas servingwas notduly recognized by theGreekMinis try of Education (See Appendix "A" attached totheopposition). On the basis of the outcome of thatinquiry and in view of the Provisions of theLaws in force the appropriate Authority dis- 5 missedtheapplication of theapplicantby theirletterdatedthe 6th November 1986. (See Appendix "B"). Itmay be noted herethat theapplicanthadnotbeen seconded forduty tothesaidCommu nity School. The inquiry carried out by therespondent Commission, was JQ based on Section 76, of theElementary Education Service Law, 1969, (Law No. 10 of 1969) and in particular totheprovisoto subsection 1,of thesaid section which reads as follows. 'To Υπουργικόν ΣυμβούλιονδύναταιναεκδίδηΚανο νισμούς προς καλυτέραν εφαρμογήν των διατάξεωντου παρόντοςΝόμουκαιπροςρύθμισινγενικώς παντός θέμα τοςαφορώντοςειςτηνΕπιτροπή,τηνεκπαιδευτικήυπηρε σίακαιτουςεκπαιδευτικούςλειτουργούς: ^ Νοείται ότι μέχρις ότουοι τοιούτοι Κανονισμοίεκδοθώσιν ή οιονδήποτε θέμακαθορισθήάλλως δυνάμει του 20 παρόντος Νόμου,οιοιδήποτε κανονισμοί ήδιοικητικαί πράξεις καιδιοικητικοίοδηγίαιαιοποίαιπερίεχονταιεις εγκυκλίους ή άλλως και ηυφιστάμενητακτική αναφορικώςπροτηνεκπαιδευτικήνυπηρεσίανκαι εκπαιδευτικούς λειτουργούς εξακολουθούσι να ισχύωσι καθ'ην έκτασιν ^ δεναντίκεινταιπροςταςδιατάξειςτουπαρόντοςΝόμου." InEnglish itreads:"TheCouncilof Ministers mayissueregulations for the ap plication of theprovisions of this Law andfor the regulation generally of t . , ./ subject relating totheCommission,theedu- 30 cationalserviceandtheeducational officers: Provided thatuntil such regulations areissuedoranyother 2604 3C.L.R. g Damianidesv.Republic A.LoizouP. matteris·defined otherwisebyvirtueof thepresentLaw,any regulations oradministrativeactsandadministrativeinstructionswhicharecontainedincircularsorotherwiseandtheexistingpracticerelatingtotheeducationalserviceandtheeducationalofficers willcontinuetobeinforceissofar astheyare notcontrarytotheprovisionsofthisLaw". ItisthecasefortheapplicantthattherespondentCommission refused torecognizehisservicerelyingontheprovisionsofSection76
(1)of theElementaryEducation Law, 1969(LawNo.10 20 of 1969)andthatthesaid Section andprovisotheretopreserves theregulatoryactsthatpre-existedtheenactment"of theLaw,but doesnotmakeany savingregardingpreviousLaws.Thisargument was advanced because Section 16of theTeachers of the ElementaryEducationCommunalSchoolsLaw 1963(LawNo.7 ,5 of 1963oftheGreekCommunalChamber),whichwasproviding thatrecognizedservicewastobetheserviceinrecognizedGreek Schoolsin Cyprusorabroaddulycertificated bytheappointing Authority. *« ™ Learnedcounselfortheapplicantarguedatlengththatthesaid provisioncouldnotberelieduponasithasbeenrepealedbySection 77ofLaw 10of 1969.Onthispointlearnedcounselforthe respondentagreesaridmaintainsthattherespondentCommission neverreliedonthatprovision butmerelyincarryingoutaproper inquiryinthecircumstancesfollowed thepracticeestablishedduringthelasttwentyyearsandnothingmore. ItwasfurthercontendedonbehalfoftheapplicantthattheprovisotoSection76
(1)ofLawNo. 10of 1969couldnotsaveand keepinforce administrativeacts,Regulations,Circulars,wherevertheycouldbefound,oreven,theexistingpractice,evenifthey hadbeenmadeorestablishedbyvirtueof theprovisionsofLaw No.7of 1963oftheGreekCommunal.ChamberandthattherepealofthatLawhadasaconsequencetherepealofallthatsubsidiarylegislation,circulars,practiceetc. Counsel for the respondents posed two questions firstly 2605 A.Loizou P. Damianidesv.Republic
(1988)whethertheestablishedpracticeisalawfulbasisforthetakingof administrativedecisionsoractsespeciallywhenthepracticeisset asacriterionfortheexerciseofanadministrativediscretionbyan existinglawandsecondlywhethertheestablishedpracticeinthe caseinhandiscontrarytoanyof theprovisionsofLawNo.10 5 of 1969. InthecaseofP.M.TseriotisLtd.andOthersv.TheRepublic ofCyprus, throughtheMinisterofFinance
(1970)3C.L.R.135 atp. 143thefollowing issaid: "But,leavingasidethecomplicatedquestionofprincipleas 10 to whether or not, and to what extent, custom, can be the source of lawfor administrative lawpurposes (seeKyriacopoulosonGreekAdministrativeLaw,4thed.,Vol.I,pp. 7880andDendiason AdministrativeLaw,5thed., Vol. 1, pp. 51-52),itseemstobesufficiently clearthatanadministrative 15 practicewhichisconsistentwiththecorrectconstructionofthe relevantlegislationisproperlyapplicable(seeLecturesonAdministrativeLawbyStassinopoullos, 1957,p.127). Thisadministrativepracticeonthissubjecthasbeenthebasis fortheexerciseofadministrativediscretionandthefactthatithas 20 been followed for alongtimenotonlymakesitlawful, butalso createscertainconsequenceswhichimposecertaindutiesnamely a reasoning when achangeisdecided, (SeeStassinopoulos,the LawofAdministrativeActs
(1951)p. 19.)FurthermoretheGeneralOrdersandColonialRegulations,whichwereofanadminis- » trative,orprocedural naturecontinued tobeinforceintheform ofanexistingpractice.(SeePanaretosIeromonahosv.Republic, 4 R.S.C.C. 82). Inmyviewthepracticefollowed isnotcontrarytoorinconsistent withSection77ofLawNo.10of 1969.Moreovertheappli- 30 cant does not establish anylegalfoundation for hisclaim ashe hasmadenoreference toanylegalprovisionsayingthattheyears of hisabsenceonleavewithoutpayabroadcouldbeconsidered asservicebringinghimwithintheambitoftherelevantPensions LawsandtheotherLawsregardingtheearningofincrementsand 35 2606 3 C.L.R. Damiaηides v. Republic A. LoizouP. eligibilityfor promotion. For all the above reasons therecourse is dismissed but inthe circumstancestherewillbenoorderas tocosts., Recourse dismissed. Noorder as to costs. ·{<. - 2607