Government productivity consultant Parry Bellot has confirmed that he wrote to the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) formally apologizing for his earlier comment that some 80 per cent of public servants were “not pulling their weight”.
Bellot made the recent claim at a news conference he held to announce that he had presented a report to government on his efforts to boost productivity in the public service.
He said while the figure he advanced was not included in the report, his own unscientific assessment was that the majority of the country’s civil servants were unproductive.
The DPSU had threatened protest action if the productivity consultant did not retract the statement or apologise.
Bellot said at the time that he would do so if his bosses (the government) told him to.
He maintains his position that there needs to be much greater productivity both in the public and private sectors, but told DNO that if his statement hurt the feelings of public workers he was sorry and offered the appropriate apology.
On Wednesday Bellot told DNO that he had not been ordered to apologise by his bosses, but had done it of his own free will.
“After much thought and in the interest of moving forward, I am prepared to formally retract my statement expressed as a personal opinion in reply to a question at my press conference that in my rough estimation the public service works at about 20 per cent efficiency. I understand that this caused some hurt among your membership, especially as it was not based on any scientific analysis, merely my own opinion based on several years personal assessment,” Bellot wrote in his letter to the DPSU.
He said in retrospect it may not have been the best idea to make the statement that he did, because “it impacted so many persons”.
“So for that I apologise,” the productivity consultant told the DPSU.
He has since described it as a full, unconditional “genuine” apology.
Bellot says however that he is happy that the matter led to serious debate on the question of productivity.
He says he is optimistic that public servants, their union and government will give some attention to the business of working together to enhance productivity.
Soem of us who taking offense know jolly good that we dont do our best. the public service especially field workers are very lazy and do not accomplish half of what we are supposed to. we know that Parry’s 20% may not be correct but if not 20% i know is not far. lets use this observation as fuel to do the country’s work more efficiently
Whippee Parry right! Parry is saying what all of us think! he shouldn’t apologise! Folks saying what you want with your mouth based on your observations amongst a group of friends is one thing, Parry Bellot however as a Government employed PRODUCTION MANAGER can’t be excused for deliberately presenting empirical data that will factor into Governments’ decisions without having done any in depth analysis..
This data presented by Parry could be used in Human Resource training and development,hiring,evaluations,outsourcing etc.He gets paid to do a job, not MAKE STUFF UP, in so doing he is no better than those he labeled as unproductive. If Parry is right, then the next time you go to your doctor, stand at the door, walk away and let him/her give you a diagnosis and medication without even as much as an upclose view.
When people are at fault we need to tell them with honesty, it’s not about Parry, neither the Civil Servants who very well may have many slackers on their hands, it’s about presenting information with INTEGRITY and TRUTH!
Government should institue a system where the productive civil servants are appropriately recognised financially in their monthly salaries and the slackers should receive no increments and even to lose any increments they have already gained. There are too many loose and lazy civil servants getting a salary and not working and too many Permanent Secretaries allowing them to get away with that because of fear or friendship. When reports are made to the PS nothing is done.
It’s interesting that Parry didn’t receive a salary for at least 6 months then after that statement he magically received one…
Mr. Bellot is 100% correct!!!
Parry has done the only HONOURABLE thing there was to do:APOLOGIZE.And he knew he should not have made the statement in the first place. As productivity Consultant, he must now get off his laurels and do what he is paid to do:carry our scientific research into what obtains in the public domain and this must commence with the Government ministers!! I am sure he would discover some astonishing statistics. And his study must, of necessity, make strong recommendations as to how to turn around his PERCEIVED findings.
But, permit me to add here: for those who are convinced, no evidence is necessary; for those who are unconvinced, no evidence is sufficient!!
You know it is not just the public service. You go to one of the banana companies at 9 in the morning and the secretary is not at work, you call or come back a little before 1 she is gone to lunch, you retuen at 2.30 she is not back from lunch by 4 she has already left for the day. The accountant comes in when she wants and does not show up for work when she wants. It is not just the public servants it is everywhere.
that cool i see no probs in that,the man analyse ,ckeck the effect and apologise ,,that is MATURITY…NOT LIKE THOSE WHO RUN THIER MOUTH DAILY/NIGHTLY/EARLY MORNING EVEN ON SUNDAYS–MAKE WILD UNSUBSTANTIATED STATEMENTS AND THEN LET IT ROLL—PURE MIND GAMES ,CIA -STYLE STRATEGY
Parry should have structured is finds better. I been to several ministry depts, and I could not belive the way these people conduct themselves on the job. Once I went to the Inland Revenue office, and waited for almost two hours, while two female employees were at the back combing each others hair. Went to see the minster for community and the workers there were playing solitiare at the pc. Parry next time give examples and the departments where you saw them stealing company time.
Waw! so he apologized even stating that he stood by his original statement? Anyway, I think Dominica needed that lighter moment, now we can have a reference whenever we see workers skylarking… “no wonder Parry had to say 80% not producing”… Now lets all get to work.
Parry shouldn’t apologise. he spoke 500% truth!
Wahsss Fayah alone that in civil service!
I doh know what strike DPSU keep talking about.
They do not deserve no raise!
i’m a clear habor employee and the government should strongly play a more significant role in shaping the image of the company. in any business the customers come first however the employees are the strongest part of the company. clear habor is totally not employee friendly. at clear habor we have no workers union. they fail to implement that firm. in the result of that employees are fustrated because our voices are kept unheard since we have no workers union. we all humans we all got our personal issues but clear habor act like its robbots working for them. the prime minister skerrit came to the media suring carnival season and spoke aboout workers aint coming to work.. PLEASE PRIME MINISTER.. DEAL WITH THE REAL SITUATION OF IMPLEMENTING A WORKERS UNION AND THEN YOU CAN SPEAK ABOUT ATTENDANCE. clear habor policy is that they can fire you today and can replace you today self. the money is not bad but for the stress and hassle of that job the pay should be higher.. believe me,, anyway i pray that someone in authority read this message and work to getting a workers union organize in cleat habor dominica.
parry is extremely correct.. there are alot of people working in the public service and doeosnt kno what customer service is. u go to a gas station they take a whole year to give u some gas. you go to an office they take so long to assist you with some little issues all because they are focused more on their personal business. the government should some how implement a strategy to say whether or not business in the private or public sector is productive on a monthly basis
PARRY HAS A LOVING WIFE.I UNDERSTOOD HIS WIFE IS A PUBLIC SERVANT.HAD IT BEEN A FEW WOMEN I KNOW,HIS BUT WOULD BE SLEEPING IN THE DOG HOUSE FOR ATLEAST ONE YEAR.
But parry a record that man u speak the truth and because dem fellas tell u apologize u apologize and then u sayin nobody doh tell u apologize so u b there nah garcon. Garcon stand by the truth u doh c all of them get offended that is because it hurting, u makin urself pass like a boo boo so but I Guess that’s how u behave.
Parry is right…….check out the civil servants who are at the Curriculm Unit. They claimed to be working in Education What are they doing? Do you see any improvement in our children’s education since the hardworking people like Ms.Maynard Joseph, Mr, Arandel Thomas, Mrs.Lucina Lafond-Charles etc have retired. All we have now is a bunch of lazy people in that department who do absolute nothing yet earn a salary just to frustrate teachers and further kill the education system., square pegs in wrong holes.The lomgest rope has an end and the works of evil men MUST come to an end.Anybody can tell us what the so called chief assistance is doing???? magsaysa……fighting for position and victimizing the female teachers who refuses to bow
Who threatened you Parry? Your criticism was right on the money. Don’t be chicken. Speak your mind freely without fear of intimidation. I mean if it is/was not the truth, why did you say it?
The fact is we still have a major problem…. whether Mr Bellot can substantiate that or not. It does not take a scientist to asses the fact that most folks in Public service in DOminica (and the whole Caribbean for that fact) DO NOT pull their weight. And the government needs to address that fact.
The fact that PSU is complaining means that such statements undermine their bargaining power for their non-performing lard bricks! And why should the government defend those very folks who are stealing from them? It is theft to the highest degree… and like some of you have said… if these folks were in a foreign country (outside the Caribbean) they’d be fired! The sorry fact is that that when these lazy folks migrate abroad, they put their tails under their butts and work it off though. But they can’t do the same for their country. So the government has itself to blame for tolerating, encouraging this stuff and creating a perpetual environment for this kind of behaviour. And then you all wonder why the Chinese won’t employ you all when they come with their projects, huh? Continue this mess and see how long these call centres and other foreign companies will remain in D/ca…
I am in total disagreement to those of u all who condone the statement made by parry bellot. If he has to asses the productivity of public workers them a more indepth assesment should be done. where are the supporting details to go with the statement? Well if there ies unproductivity then it is becuz of those corrupt ministers who are rightfully civil cervants and dont take up there duties. a fish dont start to rot by the tail it starts from the HEAD.
To me,both Parry Bellot and the DPSU are jokers and their exchange os jokes clearly tells us why DA is so behind in almost everything.
What did Parry say that was wrong? Do we not all know how these government employees behave? Don’t we all belive that in other for the country to go foward 80% of government employees must pull their weight? This is a problem that’s been hurting our progress for years and it has affected all administrations.
The truth is very few are really committed to do what it takes to bring DA foward and that is not just a government employee problem, but a Dominica problem. People come to work when they want, most times late, and yet they leave early.
The DPSU should be ashamed of himeself and is inability to help solve this problem. Fo him to threaten to protest if Parry does not apologize is just a joke. His employees have had many good and logical reasons for their boss to protest and he did not. So to say he would protest this time if Parry does not apologize is just mind bubbling.
I agree with parry but he must do one for the members of Cabinet to. I believe from head to tail needs to buck up because their are some real lazy people who no one can torch not even with a ten feet pole
To defuse a potentially silly situation, Parry apologized, but Letang must take the point. The clear majority of posts indicate that scientific or whatever, Parry was right. You go to a civil servant for service and he has a earphone. You call an office at 8 o’clock and there is no answer. You come for service and she is on the phone and you can clearly hear is her own personal roro. You come to ask about a letter, and they ask you if you have a copy because they cannot find your letter…PARRY WAS RIGHT.
Let me add one more. You go to the office at 12:45 to get something done they tell you to come back after 2 because “just now is lunch”.
Parry should not have apologised. There are quite a number of public servants not working. He should engage the union and prepare the correct data which will be very close to what he said. The public servants get to work late, they pretend not to see you when you come in for service and have you waiting while they are gossipping. Some of the public servants have no work to do all day they are on the internet ordering cars for their own buisness
wonder why you didnt post my comment!!stupes
Parry was hired as a Productivity Consultant. What are his qualifications/experience in that field?
Why was he allowed to call a press conference rather than reporting to those who hired him?
What the hell is really going on here? And notice he still talks of “…especially as it was not based on any scientific analysis, merely my own opinion based on several years personal assessment,” THAT MEANS TO ME THAT HE STILL THINKS THAT 80% OF PUBLIC OFFICERS ARE A WASTE OF TIME!!!
Great move parry, last thing we want is another 1979.
Parry knew what he was doing. He just highlighted the sentiments of the “New DLP.” But what he does not see is that the Civil Service is a reflection of the Government.
So if he is correct ,both are lazy and unproductive and as such change should be made from the top.
If the Top is dirty then the whole body is dirty.”Dominicans!Let’s clean House.”
Are you serious? With all that work i see going on froom roads to geothermal energy testing, to water in rural areas, to scholorships for our kids, to review of important policies…you still call the goverment lazy? Well well.
Awww! Parry apologizes. I like that…be man to speak your mind (without injuring anyone) and be man to apologize when you learn that you have unduly and unintentionally offended.
BTW, i love that picture of Parry. It is as if Parry is mocking the public. What a choice of pic, huh? Almost saying…”a likkle joke i was making wif all you and all you huffing and puffing!!”
IF WE ARE HONEST, WE WILL ADMIT THAT PARRY WAS NOT SO FAR OFF THE MARK. TALK TO THOMAS LETANG. HE HAS TO DEFEND HIS MEMBERS TO PROTECT HIS JOB, BUT HE KNOWS D*** WELL THAT PARRYIS MAKING A LOT OF SENSE HE MUST TALK TO HIS MEMBERS
IF PS’S AND OTHER SUPERVISORS LIKED TO PUT PEN TO PAPER, PLENTY PUBLIC OFFICERS WOULD BE SITTING AT THEIR HOMES, TRUST ME
they want productivity stop importing all this unnecessary stuff we can produce here (eg) some juices so much orange grapefruit mangoes soursop pineapples we does have wasting. we need more factories to create jobs for the youths. is time we use our natural resources they just there been wasted
Parry is so correct,they come work late,take a whole hour for snack,order stuff on the internet,charge their phones in the office,on their blackberry whilst dealing with the customers and still leave work before 4 o’clock.Parry should never apologies.
PARRY SHOULD NOT SAID HE IS SORRY
THOSE GOVERNMENT WORKERS ARE VERY SLOOPY IN DOMINICA THEY DONT PRODUCE WORK THEY SHOULD BE FIRED MOSE OF THEM THEY SIT PRETENDING THEY ARE WORKING ALWAYS RUNNING ERRANDS
There is absolultely no need for apolgy, who the cap fit should just wear it and make the necessary adjustments. It is a fact that there a quite a few(mojority) of public servants, in all of the public sector that have the attitude that is a favor they doing people. I think an invetory needs to be done or a more keen eye should be given to recognized those that bring the sector to disrepute especial in key areas like the nursing. It is really bad when you are sick and have to get old attitude and behavior from nurses, the people who should assist in making you feel better.
*********This is NOT a stupid man*******
Mr. Bellot has been in Public service a very long time since DFP administartion. He knows very much about the ins and out of the public sector. I think we should all listen to his “original” assesment.
Yes, it might be painful to hear that not alot of work is completed at the end of the day in the public sector. BUT it is better to tell the painful truth than to be a pretender!!
I think he only retracted the statemment to calm the union. Take a look at what he said; this was his personal opinion and it was not based on any scientific findings.
Therefore he still beleives in his original statement. Why do we get angry at people for speaking their mind ESPECIALLY when they have had decades working in the public sector??
Thank you Mr. Bellot!!!
Parry, if you are the productivity coordinator why aren’t you not responsibile to assess productivity in all sectors and implement training to boost and motivate the workers.
You are the specialist to make a good difference
Apologise for what, Parry is right. Civil servant do not work for the salary they get. DNO put a poll out (Do you think Civil Servants do less than 20% work per day
guess is you he was talking about???
Why don’t you get a job to better the public service. People like you who should be there. Are you not qualified for one?
There was no need to apologize for this matter. The question of productivity in any institution in the Dominican work force is valid. Have you seen the manner in which these government workers conduct themselves within the work place. It seem that they know that’s impossible for them to lose their job, so anything goes. ” I will work at anytime and when it is convenient for me. ” This is the motto that these workers go by. I have spent most of my life in Dominica but have resided abroad for few years and with that attitude 95% of these workers would have gotten fired in a foreign country where productivity and efficiency is key.
Nonesense because these are the same public officers who migrate to other lands and held build these countries by their hard work, dedication and commitment in any type of weather.
Yes and they do it because they have to follow the rule of law. When in Rome do as the Romans… some Dominicans can be some lazy Romans
Not because of interest or dedication, but they know a pink slip would be in their hand if they slack off, lol.
dear concern
since you were there i guess it was someone who did their work diligently so as to facilitate payment of your gratuity pension or otherwise. Many public officers work very hard. It is not as much as eightypercent.
In his humility he apologized, but it’s true. Low productivity in the ministries…is a facebook and blackberry messenger.. all u hearing is a ‘pling’ ‘pling’.
They can check DNO once a while, but too much fb man!
OK Parry, we know it is politically correct to publicly apologize. Now between you and I, tell me how you really feel? I promise to keep it a secret.
lol.. the same way he did when he 1st came out with his statement
LOL LOL. But they are unproductive! Whether its 80% or 60% unproductivity, so what? Its still unacceptable. Just do business in the Ministry, Customs, and other Government institutions and unproductivity will rear its ugly head. The DPSU should take this as a lesson and work towards getting their members to do more work for their pay. STUPES!!………….
The logical conclusion is that Parry’s bosses asked him to apologise. Does that mean that his is now allowed to keep his job? One has to swallow pride to apologise and for that I applaud Parry, however it will be far more difficult to undo the damage that has already been done.
Although I do not support Bellot’s unsubstantiated assessment of the DPSU membership as it relates to their job performance, there is truth to what he stated. The majority of the DPSU membership do not pull their weight.
Thank you Mr. Bellot. Now get plz get back to work.
This is well written.
It’s good that parry apologized to put that to rest but there are more pressing issues for the DPSU to take up than that foolishness.
exactly – like DSS age of retirement going up to 65 years and paying more DSS dues
that is elementery,this systems need to upgrade with the economic times,let us be realistic when these systems were organized,a pound of sugar was like sixty cents,these times are long gone,how is DSS going sustain payouts at the rate our economy is making growth,where you have youths now a days who do not want work,they do not want go back to the soil,even when the government is offering land for a dollar a year,no they rather sell drugs,DSS has to increase its percentage input in other to meet its percentage payout,it sounds gross,but its a sacrifice we got to face,simple as that,they got to upgrade,you pay more,you get back more.
let me also add,just in case you did not understand,back in those days the system was collecting rates based on the cost of things at the time,we are way beyond those times,you feel me.
this is why whether you are citizen or NOT and you earn in Dominica you SHOULD PAY UP as long as you WORK on Dominica’s soil you SHOULD PAY. as we continue to compare ourselves with other nations in the US PAYROLL EVERYONE pays social security.
Disappointed In Parry! Stupes. Apologise for what. Take a walk through the Ministries and see the nonsense happening, they reach late and leave early, ask them what they have done for the day. Its time the Civil Service implement reporting at the end of the week 80% of them cannot account for work done during the day. I knw what I am talking about!!!!!!! Was in the system. Parry right it even more.
you have a point there we!!! they should fire all those that always late etc. start by taking the money out of their salary and if they will not improve then fire them!!!!!!!!!!
i really feel sorry for those that genuinely working though
How you expect civil servants to do any better than the policy makers? You have policy makers facilitating junior officers to take sick leave and join them in St Maarten. You expect that junior officer to be productive when she returns to the service?
@Josh Shaw..hmph well bizness outside..talk 2 us we not crooks..
and 2 answer dat last question..NO she will have 2 take ‘sick leave” again 2 recuperate frm dat ‘sick leave’..lol