Duke: Give public servants more and they'll be efficient

President of the Public Services Association (PSA) Watson Duke has vowed to make the public service more efficient, but only if the government first stay true to all the promises made to improve working arrangements.

During a virtual meeting on social media on Sunday night, hosted by Duke and his team – Game Changers – for the upcoming PSA election, Duke said, "It’s simple. The government wants an efficient public service, and we are saying we will deliver an efficient public service.

"We are ready to hold public officers to that charge. But first of all, you (government) have to take care of the things you said you would have taken care of. Give us social justice, give us affordable and easily accessible homes. Give us sustainable health care, and you (government) would have taken away half of our problems."Duke promised if he is re-elected on November 23, he will continue his fight for fair and improved working arrangements that will significantly benefit all public servants.

"As the current PSA president and as the president for the next term we are asking the government to stay true to what you say on paper. Many of our members cannot access social justice, they are at the bottom of the ladder.

"Why the lowest pay for public servants is $5,000? How did they come up with that? Where is the social justice?"He said for a more efficient public service, the government must make significant changes aimed at improving health care, education and living conditions."If people in the public service are able to access health care on time, and don’t have to wait long months for surgery or for an MRI, it would mean the mental pressure on employees will be eased. They will enjoy that work-life balance.

"This can happen only if the government stay true to what they put on paper.“We want to deliver a first-class public service but if we are insecure in our jobs, if we are insecure financially and if our work-life balance is something that doesn't allow us to enjoy our life then you (government)is frustrating us and it is difficult for us to perform at our best."

He called on the Prime Minister to treat public servants fairly and in return, he will get the quality of productivity among government workers he has been clamouring for.

"If you boast about a proper management system then you should leave the (Public) Service Commission to do what it was created to do. You can't make an order to freeze all jobs, all vacancies – how could you do that?

Duke as referring to the government's decision to freeze the filling of all vacancies in the public sector for a year. This was announced during the 2021 budget presentation by Minister of Finance Colm Imbert on October 5.

Duke also said, "At the same time, we, the PSA, want you, the government, to be clear on what you want from us…We are tired of public servants being painted with a lazy brush, with a negative brush. And they continue to say to us that we are not working, we are not performing. But when you check, our performance appraisals are right up, our increments are right up. So who is the Prime Minister to say we are not working?"