Dominica’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the OAS, His Excellency, Dr. Vince Henderson, has told public officers that before seeking to build resilience they must ensure that the system is relevant, effective and is able to reach out to the people for whom it was designed.
He was presenting the keynote address at the Public Service Awards and Recognition ceremony held at the Goodwill Parish Hall recently.
According to Dr. Henderson, one cannot build resilience in a system that is outdated or does not serve its clientele.
“The question is how do we achieve this goal that we have set for ourselves? How do we build resilience, a resilient public service?” he questioned. “I will tell you, you cannot build resilience in a system that is dysfunctional.”
He continued, “So before we seek to build resilience we must ensure that our system is relevant, it is effective and it can reach out to the people for whom it was designed.”
Dr. Henderson explained that in other words, “we do not offer public service for the sake of it, but because we exist to improve the lives of our people.”
He mentioned ways in which the system can be improved to make it more resilient.
“We need to continuously review what we do…,” he said. “Things change so rapidly that you must continue to reexamine what you do in order to be effective and efficient.”
He added, “The use of technology, utilizing the proper skills, the proper organizational structure…these are questions we have to ask ourselves. Should we be creating new departments of government? Are certain positions redundant because of the change in times?”
The ceremony was held under the theme: “Building a Resilient Public Service: A Collective Response”.
That bags the question WHY the public service is irrelevant and not effective? The answers are there for everybody to see: 1) promotion only if you are a member of the right party rather than on merit, 2) employment not to the best candidate but rather to the person the PM owes a favour, the chief public officer (PM) is incompetent, ineffective and corrupt- so no role model to the service. We can twist and turn the issue as much as we like, the PM is THE problem and rather than blame others should look in the mirror and do the honourable thing and resign. But this won’t happen in a million years!
Frankly speaking, Mr. Vince’s pronouncement should have been laid at the PM’s feet. He is the one who is incharge of the public service. Everybody knows that there is a need for public service reforms but Mr. Vince should have spoken about a more urgent reform, that is, electoral reform. My guess is that he does not have the courage to upset the status quo. The gentleman just wanted to sound relevant.
Although I am not a Skerrit or DLP fan, this is not a Skerrit problem. The public service sector has been horrendous for decades. I can go all the way back to the 1970s of going up to Ministry with horrible customer service. It was and still isn’t about serving the country. It is and has always been about the power brokers in their cozy offices, enjoying the government’s largess and all its trimmings. With the proposed increase with the retirement age of public sector workers, the country will be saddled with the same old, outdated heads who do nothing to improve service delivery, while enhancing the welfare and wellbeing of our people. Moo-Moo talking nonsense as usual. Nothing to see here. Good night and get home safe.
Wonder what’s up with this Dr. obsession? I am one so are my 3 sons and daughter, My brother and one of his kids my neighbor is also. Now does that matter to us? No! Oops my neighbor & best friend has 2 doctorates from top Universities & a law degree and he is as cool as a cucumber you’ll never know.
I maybe Just 4 laughs but am serious. This is now a big joke in the diaspora.
“Henderson, has told public officers that before seeking to build resilience they must ensure that the system is relevant, effective and is able to reach out to the people for whom it was designed. ”
“Resilience” is the capability of a strained body, or material object to recover its shape, and maintain its size after deformation caused by compressive stress.
In the quote; the words are spoken by one who they call doctor; they call him excellency: are these so so called doctors the best Dominica have to offer?
We understand this man at Dominica taxpayers expense attended some college here, we do not know his major; nevertheless, reading that garbage in the quote above, if he has a degree in anything which cause him to obtained a Ph.D; it might be time to review his GPA.
I cannot believe someone who say they graduate with a Ph. D in anything would have wrote such childish nonsense! There is no such thing as building resilience/resilient/resiliency all hogwash talk!
Rest at ease. Vince Henderson does not have a Ph. D. He has a J.D. degree.
Well, if he is jurisprudence, let me see or hear him pass the Bar anyplace in America. Mind you they call him doctor!
In America I do not know anybody who practices law called doctor, so that means something is wrong. In America we do not have QC, or SC; if you are lawyer you probably have to specialize in some practice. No one is a Barrister, some people practice Criminal law, Civil, Real Estate; Corporate Law; some lawyers, specialize in Land Lord Tenant Evictions.
Some deals with only accident law, be it motor vehicle, or slip and fall! Whereas others may only deal with entertainment law; there are people who deal with workers compensation law only. So, I wonder what kind of law is this Dominican qualify to practice; in any event his Law degree might not be any good in Dominica, since the laws in the Caribbean defers to American law.
Let it be know Vince cannot play lawyer in America, under the conditions which got him here!
@ Francisco, Most of us Dominicans are Resilient people and are adept at seeing things from another person’s point of view. My question to you if we are Resilient people why can’t we build ourselves Resilient homes for our people. Just asking please don’t be to political.
“Most of us Dominicans are Resilient people and are adept at seeing things from another person’s ”
If you believe that; you must conclude that is why our country is so poor and backwards. And let me tell you this, because old man Charles, the one they call prince out of england said last year that Dominicans are a resilient people, we should not condone that nonsense!
That classify us according to the definition of the word; how can this be? There is no such thing as building a resilient structure. Tell me sir, what type of building technology are you using in Dominica to build a resilient house?
Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, ice on roofs, and fire do as much damage to buildings in Canada, and America. If their was a resilient building technology; Dominica under Roosevelt Skerrit would not be the first and only on the planet to utilized it.
One can build a house to a specific code to make it stronger; but resilient?
How stupid is that concept!
I just can’t stand these MISLEADERS crap….Vince go clean the mess inside of DLP..What is the good thing that you have to say to public servants that you cannot say to the wickeds in the DLP?
Stop taking most of us for fools!!!
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go
LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now
Linton must go!!
Linton must go!!
Lazy Linton must go now!!!
Sue, as long as you follow a very corrupt failed Labour government, you and cronies are in no position to question or attack Hon Lennox Linton. Hon Linton is way above the credibility of your failed Leader Skerrit, where there are answered question of corruption, resulting with the Bin and Fertilizer Bobols they was denied and as a matter of fact, we understand that states funds were compromised. We are asking for an inquest, an enquiry into those questionable corrupt practices\???? We need the answers and more so to as related to the Passports sale.
Our country is politically sick and has been taken advantage of by their failed PM and his immature long list of failed ministers. Its all about Skerrit and not Dominica.
Skerrit and his corrupt Labour government are scared of Hon Linton and his trusted professional UWP Team. We need change and now and 18failed years is enough to ruin a poor island and its struggling people. Skerrit, Get lost and take your Labour crew with you.
Pathetic copy cat. Is that all you can say then, I see it is getting to you. Good.
Vince thanks much of what you penned reflects on the Skerrit, and accountable for the mess we are in. Get him out please. I do not mean that you are the one to replace him. We are fedup & had enough of Skerrit and his wasted blind acolytes in denial of the reality, the poverty we are in currently under this failed Leadershit. That is the level we are in now, with his blind Loyalists in the USA, Domininca and UK and some in Canada. Now, this statement is crucial, real and damning on Skerrit and his government.
“One cannot build resilience in a system that is outdated or does not serve its clientele.” The problem therefore falls within the office of Skerrit and his failed Government. Skerrit isn`t a developer he is show off talker. You`ll blindly support him.
“The question is how do we achieve this goal that we have set for ourselves? How do we build resilience, a resilient public service?” he questioned. “I will tell you, you cannot build resilience in a system that is…
Resilient for sure. Birth certificate printer not working……no marriage…no burial …no birth certificate
Ossie,
is this true. Man, how you stay so composed with all that …. flying around your head. You know what, I admire you man.
To the naked eye, Vince asked all the right questions. To the trained eye, Vince said absolutely nothing. We must first understand that the public service sector is an arm of the elected government and in essence it reflects their philosophy and modus operandi. People of African descent were not appointed to these positions, post colonialism. They were reserved for Mulattos and the rest of the upper class. The public service sector was just another mechanism to exert their power and dominion over the masses. Decades later, nothing is decentralized. You must still trudge up to the “Almighty Ministry” to meet invisible power brokers who are never in their offices. Without their blessing and under table transactions, absolutely nothing gets done. Technology is nothing more than a tool to advertise the latest vote catching scheme. Decentralization will put the power brokers out of business, hence the current state of affairs.
“Dominica’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the OAS His Excellency Dr. Vince Henderson has told public officers that before seeking to build resilience they must ensure that…”
Vince was it public officers that said they were going to build resilience or you friend Skerrit that ran to the UN, four days after Maria and announced to the word that he is going to make Dominica the first resilient country in the world? Maybe you trying to tell Skerrit that before he went to the UN and talk his crap about first resilient nonsense, he should first ensure that the system is relevant, effective and is able to reach out to the people for whom it was designed. So Skerrit that a message from Vince Henderson to you.
First of all, Vince Henderson is not a Dr., lets’s make that clear. Secondly, he is a diplomat and neither a parliamentarian nor a member of Government. He has no business putting his nose into business here, at least not in public. He should concentrate on presenting Dominica’s interest overseas. That is what he was appointed for. His business is in Washington.
The biggest and most intractable problem to the progress of Dominicans individually, and Dominica as a country, is the Skerrit-led regime, no doubt. For the last eighteen (18) years, there has been no fundamental change in development or in the functioning of public service. Things have remained frozen in time. Infrastructural developments, public service, healthcare, national insecurity and the list is exhaustive, are in a very sad and anachronistic state. Apathy, lethargy, mediocrity, depression, hopelessness, disillusionment have taken grip among the population. The only way to restore confidence, vibrancy, a sense of belongingness and hope is to kick out the sluggards from office and replace them with a fresh set of eyes, ears, thinking, vigor, drive and doers not talkers.
Ibo, I don’t know how old you are but you missing one simple point. Out of that 18 years you and your clowns on about Pm Dr Skerrit,has Spent 5 years out of the 18 putting right all the mess and crap Workers criminals so-called party left behind oh yes and a mosquito fontain. So by my calculations it’s 11years Pm Skerrit and his government been putting things in place for Dominica and the people.
More BS from VINCE……
Such a childish comment Randy x. Did you not see any resonance in what was said? You should not simply say negative things unless they are warranted.
What the Dr. said is wholesomely correct and appropriate and you seem not to have much knowledge in the field that you comment on.
It was pure hog wash. Nothing new was outlined. Just the same old platitudes being echoed by a Minister of Government. The entire system is off the rails. Have ever tried to get anything done, only to find out that everyone is “Off-Island,” and the ship no longer sails when that happens.
guard, Who are you guarding? Can you by now not able to do an assessment of the status of our Domininca? These so called Ambassadors are in the USA privileged of Skerrit and his rotten Labour government while our people in Dominican continue to live in poverty and our island Domininca has deteriorated wholesomely from agriculture business to zero revenue while those so called Ambassadors lavish in style, comfort and romancing the stone, thanks to Skerrit. What a hopeless Prime Minister, what waste of states resources paid to a person who knows nothing of Socio-economic development but to have his friends in nice high society positions.
Skerrit must Go, and please take all of your so called Ambassadors with you. wat has these people done fr Dominica lately? It is now over 18 years! We need change and Skerrit must Go
Vince one cannot find you in the office in DC and now you coming and talk ‘smark’—- Please. Also when you were in NYC was the same thing—Law degree –extra, extra….. keep talking Vince-boy can t wait for elections.
BS you are talking man! Did Skerrit have to solicit you help for some election propaganda? Would the ambassador care to tell us how much he earns and what he is actually doing for these not insignificant earnings and perks? Of course he won’t…but coming on here uttering total nonsense!!