Honouring our citizens
CIVIL SERVANTS are the engines that drive service delivery in government. They are true nation builders who work tirelessly, as we seek to build modern efficient services in a new Jamaica. It is, indeed, integral for a week to be dedicated to honouring our citizens who have committed themselves to the advanced welfare of Jamaicans.
The Government values the work of our civil servants who are key stakeholders in achieving key performance indicators and strategically making strides to improve the objectives of Government.
Since 1992, Civil Service Week has sought to highlight the worth and work of outstanding civil servants who have given excellent service to the Central Government and the country at large. Service to the nation, the attraction of working in a service that offers upward mobility and several posts have attracted approximately 118,000 dedicated employees have been enticed to work in Government where they soon after found their passion while contributing to national development. In that regard, I express immense gratitude to every civil servant, the work you do is, indeed, appreciated.
Through shared determination and diligence, civil servants have moved to progressively modernise Jamaica by way of developing programmes such as the Electronic Business Registration Form (eBRF), Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP), Service Excellence, and Human Resource (HR) Transformation and Strategic Human Resource Management Division (SHRMD) Capacity Building. The eBRF has improved business compliance and provided entrepreneurs wanting to start and register their business to do so in a convenient way.
The JDAP, which is to be rolled out in two phases will aid persons to apply for building permits and track the process to approval online. Through the service excellence, civil servants have inculcated and re-engineered service excellence in Government. The HR Transformation and SHRMD Capacity Building will provide a comprehensive approach to ensuring that the public-sector recruits, develops and manages human resources with the competencies that will support the operations of a modern public sector.
During the week’s activities, as the ministries, departments, and agencies aim to raise public awareness of the various duties and activities undertaken by the civil servants and the public sector, I wish you much success in your endeavours. I am also confident that the planned activities will achieve their objectives to foster family unity; encourage interaction among employees across ministries, departments, and agencies; and provide an avenue for a positive response to social responsibility.
As the Government celebrates Civil Service Week 2019 under the theme ‘Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence’, I urge all civil servants to continue to improve the service and enable all to see a new Jamaica; while maintaining a culture of excellence that will advance Jamaica’s progress towards modernisation.
ANDREW HOLNESS Prime Minister