Setting the record straight on civil servants

Wayne Jones, Contributor

One of the most daunting tasks in any public debate in Jamaica is to get the 'debaters' to rid themselves of the urge to be led by their emotions rather than underpin their arguments by facts, instead of gut feeling. And so is the recent debate on the appointment of public officials generated by the G2K president.

Mr Seiveright makes some serious errors, which must have been informed by his own ignorance. For example, he seems to suggest that the well-established principle of separation of powers and distinction between roles should give way to a system whereby politicians should have a free hand to do as they choose, including hiring and firing public officials.

He supports his position by advancing what must be mere speculation - since no evidence is posited - that senior public officials sabotage the Government's policies and projects. This he attempts to link to the fact that many of these officers have been in the sector during the period of the previous administration.

Limited terms

The suggestion is that to guard against sabotage, persons like our permanent secretaries should have their tenure constrained by a term limit. The truth is, since the 1990s when permanent secretaries were put on contract employment, their tenure was effectively shortened to the extent where most have served less than the 10-year limit being suggested. No longer are we seeing the situation where persons are appointed as permanent secretaries, and only mandatory retirement on the grounds of age or an infraction takes that incumbent out office.

The notion that permanent secretaries and other senior officials remain in office despite their performance, or even any unsubstantiated claim of partisanship, must also be challenged. Any quick scan of the sector will reveal that a number of senior executives, some more celebrated than others, have been removed from office since the change in political administration. It is also the case that of the 16 permanent secretaries, as many as 10 have been appointed since 2007. It must, therefore, be obvious that the political directorate possesses and has used the authority to hire and fire senior public-sector officials.

What more power is being recommended, we are not sure, but we in the sector are convinced that the model which insulates the advisers from the decision makers has served the country well. And while it requires a greater level of understanding and adherence to its tenets by all players, it should not be replaced by one which vests greater power in the hands of the five-year employees.

Ignorance

There is also the suggestion that the jobs in the sector are reserved for present employees. Again, ignorance permeates the discourse. The fact is the public sector has employed a competitive recruitment process for some time now. The local newspapers (which are also on the Internet) are littered with public-sector job vacancies every day. These range from senior positions like permanent secretaries and managing directors to lower ones, including administrative assistants. Again, check our recent permanent-secretary and CEO appointments and it will reveal that many were recruited from outside the sector, and locally as well as overseas.

The model of government used by Jamaica and many other Commonwealth states known as the Westminster model has proven very effective, significantly so because of that feature which regulates the relationship between the bureaucrats and the political directorate. It ensures that the officers deliver the services impartially, without political bias and without any consideration for their own interests.

The public sector of Jamaica and other Commonwealth jurisdictions have survived the unwelcome interference by politicians because of this task separation. The system, as is, holds the potential to guarantee ethical, fair, equitable and more effective service if only the custodians of the system would take the time to learn and understand what is required.

Wayne Jones, OD, is president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com or wstaj2005@yahoo.co.uk.