Making public service better

THE PRIME Minister’s suggestion on Monday of the need for legal reform to address deficiencies in the public service is the latest episode in a long history of political leaders highlighting the need for constitutional change in this country.

Dr Rowley’s predecessor Kamla Persad-Bissessar set up a special commission to explore and consult on wide-ranging constitutional reform. Within the PNM, Patrick Manning famously railed against the bureaucracy and red tape that was holding back development. He put forward sweeping proposals for change.

The current Prime Minister has advocated for reform before, particularly with regard to Tobago, but his comments on Monday zoned in on a very specific example of what he deemed to be the law’s inappropriateness: appointments to the post of permanent secretary (PS).

The PM expressed the view permanent secretaries should be recruited directly from the private sector as opposed to simply “floating” to the rank through seniority. Currently, a PM cannot hire or fire a PS but can bring about their transfer.

Without more meaningful attempts to consult with stakeholders and engage with legislators, we fear this latest proposal is ill-timed and inadequately developed.

Already, trade unions representing public servants have condemned the PM’s remarks as an instance of attempting to interfere politically with the civil service which is, in theory, meant to be a buffer between rank partisanship and public administration.

However, private chambers have supported the call for reform, noting there are many aspects of the way the State operates that hinders the efficient carrying out of business.

That the Government might consider tabling legislation to carry through the PM’s remarks was suggested on Tuesday by Public Administration Minister Allyson West who said her ministry was looking at options including “what constitutional amendments, if any, should be considered.”

However if the Government is serious about reform and is prepared to use valuable parliamentary time to pursue this goal, it needs to be far more specific and pinpoint the details of its concerns.

It certainly cannot look at public sector reform as solely one that involves legislative changes. Part of the problem with the State sector involves matters that have nothing to do with the constitutional arrangements.

Finding a way to link performance with rewards could be a more practical way of inspiring improvements.