‘Competence’ in this country is only recognised if it has the appropriate political support
If the writer, who in SN of Thursday December 02 offered one Jai Petam as an Industrial Relations expert, had made that offer to GuySuCo, it would have been met with a degree of amusement. For those familiar with the latter’s under-performance as their Human Resources Director would advise that they applauded this very administration for releasing him from his burdensome tasks some years ago. But on the other hand, one can argue that the issue of 7% salary increase is substantively more than that of negotiations. It has first to deal with the authoritative competence in compensation and benefits management that must address the matter with a professional objectivity that would inform the contending parties, so that the latter can approach each other on a platform that can be trusted. Unfortunately, the last example of such an approach – the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service – 2016, led by none other than Professor Harold Lutchman - was substantively ignored by its very sponsors – the Coalition Government. It followed that it was totally ignored by their successors, however professional was that exercise.
One lesson since learnt in this regard is that ‘competence’ in this country is only recognised if it has the appropriate political support. In this connection, recent talk
of political appointees and of their careers being short-lived is not factually based. A review of the annual national budget for the last two decades and more would show ‘political appointees’ to be a formalised category of ‘Contracted Employees’ whose numbers have grown exponentially over the years. The 2021 approved parliamentary budget shows a total of 2836 persons in this category made up of 2365 in Ministries and 471 across the 10 Regional Administrations.
Incidentally, the Ministry of Public Works shows the highest at 176 out of total of 470 staff; while Region 9 has 98 of the total in the Regional Administrations. In reviewing all the circumstances, including the fact that the current job categories and job hierarchy which have existed since 1992, there is desperate need for a comprehensive overhaul of the Public Service compensation structure, along with that of Teachers of course.