PERFORMED THE DUTIES OF A SECRETARY/SHORTHAND TYPIST FROM 1 FEBRUARY 1965 TO 31 JULY 1974 AND SHE CONCLUDED AS FOLLOWS :
' ' I REQUEST YOU TO TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT CLEAR , ONCE AND FOR ALL , THAT I MAY OFFICIALLY PURSUE MY CAREER AS A CLERICAL OFFICER CONCERNED WITH RECORDS WITHOUT THEREBY LOSING THE BENEFIT OF MY EARLIER CAREER AS A SECRETARY/SHORTHAND TYPIST ( WHICH ENABLES ME TO TAKE PART IN BS COMPETITIONS ). ' '
5 THAT REQUEST WENT UNANSWERED AND ON 17 JULY 1979 - THAT IS , A DATE WHEN THE SELECTION BOARD WAS STILL AT WORK - THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED TO THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY A FORMAL COMPLAINT UNDER ARTICLE 90 OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS SEEKING RECTIFICATION OF HER ADMINISTRATIVE STATUS .
6 ON 2 AUGUST 1979 THE COMPETITION SELECTION BOARD TOOK ITS DECISION HOLDING THAT OF 564 CANDIDATES 399 MET THE CONDITIONS LAID DOWN BY THE NOTICE OF COMPETITION AND 165 CANDIDATES , INCLUDING THE APPLICANT , WERE ELIMINATED AS FAILING TO FULFIL THOSE CONDITIONS . THE APPLICANT WAS NOTIFIED OF THAT DECISION ON 10 AUGUST 1979 IN THE FORM OF A STANDARD LETTER INFORMING HER THAT SHE DID NOT MEET THE CONDITION WHICH IS WORDED : ' ' HAVE AT LEAST 16 YEARS ' EXPERIENCE ON 31 DECEMBER 1978 OF CATEGORY C DUTIES AS A SECRETARY/SHORTHAND TYPIST , OR OF SIMILAR DUTIES ' ' .
7 IN A LETTER OF 22 AUGUST 1979 THE APPLICANT ASKED THE SELECTION BOARD TO RECONSIDER THE POSITION , REMINDING THEM THAT , AS WAS STATED ON HER APPLICATION FORM , HER EXPERIENCE AS A SECRETARY BEFORE AND AFTER HER ENTRY INTO THE SERVICE , WHEN ADDED TOGETHER , TOTALLED MORE THAN THE MINIMUM 16 YEARS ' PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED BY THE NOTICE OF COMPETITION .
8 AFTER REVIEWING HER POSITION THE COMPETITION SELECTION BOARD DECIDED TO CONFIRM ITS PREVIOUS DECISION . IT APPEARS FROM THE LETTER ON THE MATTER WHICH WAS SENT TO THE APPLICANT ON 24 SEPTEMBER 1979 THAT THE SELECTION BOARD ACCEPTED THE EQUIVALENT VALUE OF THE APPLICANT ' S EMPLOYMENT PRIOR TO HER ENTRY INTO THE SERVICE OF THE COMMUNITY , THAT IS , NINE YEARS AND SIX MONTHS , BUT THAT , OF HER CAREER SUBSEQUENT TO HER ENTRY INTO THE SERVICE , IT ACCEPTED ONLY A PERIOD RUNNING FROM 1 FEBRUARY 1976 TO 31 DECEMBER 1978 ( THAT IS TO SAY , TWO YEARS AND 11 MONTHS ) AS CORRESPONDING TO A POST OF SECRETARY/SHORTHAND TYPIST .
9 ON 9 NOVEMBER 1979 THE APPLICANT BROUGHT THIS ACTION . ON 21 NOVEMBER THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR PERSONNEL SENT HER A LETTER IN REPLY TO HER REQUEST OF 28 FEBRUARY 1979 AND HER COMPLAINT OF 16 JULY 1979 , WHEREBY HE AGREED TO THE RECTIFICATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATUS AS SUGGESTED . IN PARTICULAR , THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGED IN THAT LETTER THAT THE APPLICANT HAD ACQUIRED EXPERIENCE AS A SECRETARY/SHORTHAND TYPIST WITH THE