Cut leave to save jobs - Davis
Published:Thursday | September 23, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter
FORMER CABINET Secretary Dr Carlton Davis is pushing Government to negotiate with public-sector workers a reduction in their leave entitlements as part of efforts to save jobs in the pending restructuring exercise.
Davis is also urging the Government to expedite the process of pension reform.
He was making a submission yesterday to Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) at Gordon House in downtown Kingston.
His presentation comes against the background of the recommendations of the Public Sector Transformation Unit for the restructuring of public-sector entities.
Davis, who spent some 40 years in government service, argued that the current leave arrangements in the public sector, including executive agencies, should be reduced to the levels applicable to new entrants in the public service.
"I don't want anyone to say now that he is safely out of it he is recommending ...," Davis quipped. "Frankly, I am more interested in saving jobs."
According to him, under the public sector rationalisation exercise, employees at lower levels in government are more likely to be axed.
"People who have a few certificates, believe me, they are not going to be touched. It's the ancillaries who are the most vulnerable," he emphasised.
Davis also told members of the PAAC that the administration should speed up the process of pension reform to a defined contribution system, with full implementation in three years.
"It's in the report, but I am saying accelerate it because it will give you a bigger effect than a lot of the other things," he said.
However, the former head of the public sector said unions and Government would have to conduct negotiations in good faith.
Suggesting how pension and leave reforms could be pursued, Davis said the Government should expedite the process of creating executive agencies.
"By creating the executive agencies they automatically go on a new leave and a defined contribution system," he said.
Introduce user fees
In terms of education, health, security and justice, Davis suggested that the Government could introduce user fees.
"I believe we should look at the user-fee system. Obviously, we have to move with dispatch to protect the vulnerable," he said.
"In respect of education, I have given more than a hint that the time has come to determine that we as a state will support basic, primary and, to the extent possible, secondary (education)," Davis told the PAAC.
He said the country must devise new means to finance tertiary education on acceptable loan terms.
Commenting on the tax system, the former cabinet secretary said it should be rationalised and be made more user-friendly.
"Paying tax is not user-friendly," he said, pointing out that, while he held senior positions in the public sector for more than 30 years, he did not have to face the challenges at the tax centres.
"Now that I have had to cope with it, I understand why, frankly, the ordinary person who would be inclined to pay may say 'I can't bother'," he added.
In terms of the rationalisation exercise, Davis urged the Government: "Carefully review the allocation of subjects so that the process is not disrupted. If you try to change up the whole Government at one fell swoop, it shuts it down."