Points to Human Resources and management systems
Her Excellency Governor Elizabeth Carriere
The question about the ‘lack of capacity’ in the Government service took centre stage at the Governor’s most recent press conference held on March 23, 2016.
The question arose with the backdrop of the failure of, or lack of progress, whether from conception, inception or completing projects. Along with the need that was reported for ‘special services.’
Was this being observed and what is being done about it? The question put to Martin Dawson, on island DFID rep and Her Excellency, Governor Carriere.
The Governor noted in her response that it isn’t so much the lack of capacity but that Human Resources systems or just the management systems are holding things back. She said: “that issue has been identified…” explaining, “…It’s not only a lack of capacity. There is capacity in some areas but I think some of our systems in either human resources or just our management systems in government are holding some of that back,” adding while cementing the observation, “…the other thing is we need to develop capacity…”
The Governor sought to express her understanding of the situation, also highlighting the work she is doing with the Public Service over which she has direct responsibility.
“We need to recognize that as a result of the volcanic activity and the subsequent things that happened here, allot of people left and when we are dealing with a smaller population and a smaller group of specialists or experienced people in government, and we have to shape what we do with the public service with that in mind,” Governor Carriere noted.
The Governor also noted a concern that her predecessor forgot to make public about the lack of acceptance, by the public servants, not benefiting from technical cooperation officers (TCOs), often referred to as consultants.
Martin Dawson would later on the same matter informed that a new approach was being crafted to deal with that matter.
But the Governor continuing on the issue, expressing her view and stressing the need for the external assistanc. “I think we have to be open to accepting assistance from other places,” as she goes on to stress a point made time and time again since 1999. “…as long as we make sure that, that assistance leaves other people trained and ready to take those positions… We do need it there’s no question about it,” pointing out, “it’s been identified all over the place in the public service.”
As if to note that this was not just all talk, as may have gone on before, the Governor informed, citing an example of the police: “The police are one example,” referring to their need for external assistance. But, she cautions, “we need to make sure that we have a program that incorporates the use of those specialists into the whole development of our own public service…”
She then highlighted, moving forward. “The works that I’m doing with the Public Service, that whole thing about succession planning and integrating the bringing in of specialists, and the training packages and scholarship packages that we offer to people in that, with a very clear objective to developing the public service,” she concluded.
