Entrenching Ja’s economic gains

AHAPPY Civil Service Week to our civil servants. Jamaica acknowledges and celebrates your invaluable contributions to the economy’s growth and development.

Jamaica is being recognised as a country that, through sound and determined economic management, has managed to reverse its fortunes in a way that has little historical precedence. As this Government continues its strategy of entrenching Jamaica’s economic gains, the continued full and robust participation of the civil service is paramount. The advancement of Jamaica and the achievement of economic independence are inextricably linked to a public sector that is innovative, proactive, productive, and responsive. We commit to ‘Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence’ throughout the civil service by embracing advances in technology and data and making a real difference through the delivery of efficient public services and improving the lives of the people we serve.

In transforming the public sector, we continue to work together to (i) attract and retain talent; (ii) implement shared services to improve the public sector delivery; and, (iii) increase productivity and build a more modern public service. We are already making fundamental and necessary changes to how we work and must seize the moment to continue to build on the programme of reform already under way and push to greater efficiency and effectiveness. This requires meaningful partnerships with and within various ministries, departments, and agencies to make us efficient in execution, services and procurement, and truly be able to achieve a transformed public sector.

My vision is for fundamental transformation in our work practices, skills, and capability, leadership, and culture. Civil Service Week provides one opportunity for us to reinforce this shared vision and to recognise the achievements of our hard-working and dedicated Jamaicans in the civil service.

NIGEL CLARKE Minister of Finance and the Public Service