By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterAS FROM July 1, civil servants in at least six Government ministries and departments will be assessed under a new Performance and Appraisal System that will link increases in pay and incentives to their job performance.
Carol Royes, senior director in the Cabinet Office's Standards and Monitoring Unit, said yesterday that the new system will begin in six ministries and departments. These are: the Ministry of Finance and Planning; the Ministry of Transport and Works; the Office of the Prime Minister; the Cabinet Office; Office of the Services Commission and the Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Sports.
It has been suggested that the new form of assessment will also be linked to the final wage offer made to teachers by Government. Yesterday, Sadie Comrie, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, told The Gleaner that though she could not be sure what the Government's final offer to the island's 20,000 Government-paid teachers would be, she expected payment by performance and the reduction of leave to be key issues.
"We should receive the package either tonight (Tuesday) or early tomorrow (this morning)," Mrs. Comrie said. She said the delegates' meeting that was postponed recently would not likely take place until early May. A decision is to be taken then on whether teachers will accept the new package, ending a year-long wage dispute.
"Increases, from now on, will be based on actual performance, so that if your performance is not up to scratch, you will not be given an increase and, depending on the severity of the failure to perform, it could go right up to relieving you of your job," Mrs. Royes warned civil servants yesterday.
IMPROPER PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
She said that the new system involved "managing performance based on specific work plans and standards and targets that are developed at the beginning of each financial year. It is part of Government's agreement with the Jamaica Civil Service Association in relation to the 80 per cent of market increase."
Wayne Jones, Jamaica Civil Service Association president, said yesterday that he has long discussed the need for changes in the manner in which performance is assessed in the civil service.
"We find that a lot of ills that beset the civil service have their origin (in) and their links to improper performance indicators," he said on Monday.
He said, as did Mrs. Royes, that the new system will determine targets, outline sanctions and provide incentives.
"So we are moving in the direction of output rather than just compliance with roles," Mr. Jones said. The civil service was now role-driven, he said so "many people just go to work and feel comfortable with being there for the eight hours as the role requires but, at the end of the day, if the output is not up to scratch, no big deal. We are in the process of changing that. It's more about what you do rather than how much time you spend at the job."
According to Mr. Jones, whose association represents 31,000 civil servants, "We certainly believe that this society has been calling a lot for accountability and we have taken that call on board and we are prepared to do whatever it takes to make our populace, to whom we are accountable, comfortable with our performance."
