Senator: Service commissions need reform

INDEPENDENT Senator Anthony Vieira raised a private motion in Senate on Tuesday calling for reform of the country's service commissions.

He said while service commissions can be described as “a boat with ambitious and noble intentions” red tape is affecting and slowing down its operations and preventing it from fulfilling its real purpose.

The commissions include the Police Service Commission, the Teaching Service Commission, the Public Service Commission and the Judicial and Legal Service Commission. The commissions are responsible for hiring, firing, disciplinary action, transfer and promotion of public servants.

In his motion, Vieira said a review to pinpoint where the shortfalls are and the chance to find solutions, is overdue. “However, having sailed for 58 years since independence in the last century the vessel (commissions) is now aged. While the hands on deck may be labouring hard to keep the vessel afloat and on course, the country has an interest in determining whether or not it’s still fit for purpose.

"If it needs repair or whether it has outlived its usefulness and should be replaced with a sleeker craft, more fuel-efficient and better suited to the needs and circumstances of the people.

Government Senator and Minister of Public Administration and Digital Transformation Allyson West, later in the sitting, agreed that the commissions haven’t been efficient. She said simple procedures as hiring and promotion have taken longer than expected.

And though attempts have been made to make different aspects of the service efficient, “many of them have failed to produce the kind of results that we need to see." West said it is now important to first look at the structure of the commissions to identify the fundamental problem.

Making a reference to disciplinary matters against public servants under investigation for years by the service commission, West said this has caused public servants to be relaxed. “In the context of civil servants who are prepared to say ‘she can’t do me nothing because it will take 10 years for the service commission to deal with any complaint and by that time I’ll be gone.

“While I recognise and completely acknowledge the rationale for the establishment of the service commission, it has a flaw that does need to be addressed.”

For his part, Opposition Senator Wade Mark accused the PNM of trying to abolish the commissions for personal gain through this motion. He said he is against the idea or any attempts to abolish the service commissions and instead he suggests that the government take a closer look at its management, policies and procedures before bringing a motion of reform.