News

Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer

The Public Sector Transformation Unit (PSTU), tasked with modernising the government service, has been criticised by the Public Administration and Accounts Committee (PAAC) for not consulting with several government agencies earmarked for integration with other state entities.

PAAC chairman, Dr Wykeham McNeill, expressed deep disappointment with the PSTU's failure to hold consultations with the affected agencies, prior to decisions regarding their fate were submitted to the committee.

No consultation

"The recurrent theme we've heard is that they had no consultation and they actually found out about the problem after the Green Paper was tabled," said McNeill during Wednesday's meeting, where the committee heard submissions from five agencies.

Representatives from the Inter-national Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Science, Jamaica Mortgage Bank, National Council on Drug Abuse, Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation, and the Land Administration and Management Programme told the PAAC that at no time did the PSTU consult with their agencies.

The PAAC had invited several state agencies to make submissions to the committee following Government's tabling of a Green Paper on the public-sector rationalisation programme on July 20.

The Green Paper, which was tabled by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, contains recommendations for the restructuring of ministries, departments and agencies.

glaring shortcomings

Committee member Michael Stern cautioned that while the PSTU may have had general consultations with some government entities, there were glaring shortcomings.

"We want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they did consult in some cases but, in general, they did not complete their work and did not consult with these agencies we met," Stern said.

Stern, who is also state minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, said he was aware that permanent secretaries from several ministries had submitted their findings to the PSTU following meetings with the concerned agencies.

Chairman McNeill noted that he found it unusual that no submissions had been received from the unions, as well as several agencies affected by the PSTU's integration proposal.

He said the PAAC would be extending the date for submissions until today, in order to give other agencies an opportunity to come forward with their deliberations.

Members of the PSTU are expected to attend the next PAAC meeting, which is scheduled for next Wednesday.

philip.hamilton@gleanerjm.com