By Vernon Daley, Staff Reporter
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson making his Budget presentation in Parliament recently. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer
CALLS FOR a reduction in the number of government ministries as part of efforts to slash public sector waste, were brushed aside by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, last Tuesday.
The Prime Minister said he was committed to squeeze inefficiency and waste out of his government, but argued that reducing the number of Ministries would not go a far way in achieving that goal.
"Whilst there would be some savings, this reduction would be insignificant when we look at the overall picture," Mr. Patterson said in his contribution to the recently concluded Budget Debate in the House of Representatives.
In recent weeks, public commentators and representatives of the local private sector have been urging the Prime Minister and his Government to demonstrate its commitment to cutting public sector costs by first reducing the size of the 17-member Cabinet.
Most of the comments have centred on bringing under one umbrella, the Ministries of Commerce, Science and Technology, Development, and the Industry portfolio of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.
DIFFICULTY IN CUTTING BACK
With 74 per cent of public sector employees located in the Ministries of Education, Health or Security, Mr. Patterson argued that it would be very difficult to cut back in those areas without inviting serious consequences.
"We are committed to correct the fiscal deficit but it can't be at the price of creating a social deficit," the Prime Minister said. "This would fuel, rather than quell, social discontent."
The Prime Minister pointed to a number of initiatives his Government had taken to restructure the public sector to make it more efficient. These, he said, included:
The liquidation of Metropolitan Management Transport Holdings and rationalisation of the functions of Jamaica Urban Transport Corporation and the Transport Authority.
Rationalisation of the Jamaica Tourist Board.
Rationalisation of the laboratory services of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, the Scientific Research Council, Mines and Geology and the Government Chemist.
Merger of the corporate service of the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Justice.
Sharing of corporate services for commodity boards, including the Banana Board and the Coffee Board.
The Prime Minister added that the Cabinet would also be reviewing a number of additional recommendations from a team led by Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis and Financial Secretary, Shirley Tyndall, which was set up this year to look at ways to cut costs in the public sector.
