COMMENTARY: A decaying Public Service

For over two decades, I have been observing the deterioration of the Public Service. The main objectives of this article are twofold:

  1. For the general public to provide recommendations as to how we can prevent further deterioration;
  2. Examine the causes of said deterioration.

Causes:

Political Party Interference:  There are instances whereby, Public Officers are appointed/promoted in positions simply because of their affiliation with the ruling part. This in itself causes other public officers to become bitter – a bitter person will no doubt provide bitter services.

Party allegiance:  Many officers feel obligated to his/her party (whether it’s the ruling Party or the Opposition), this also can lead to poor service delivery.

On the flip side, I have experienced situations where a qualified supporter of the Dominica Labour Party,  be appointed or promoted to a particular position. This officer spend years at a University, graduates  top of his class and gets appointed to a position  – automatically his colleagues view his appointment as political rather that merit.  This too should stop.

Entitled Public Officers: Those who firmly believe that their number of years in a position automatically makes that position their own and refuse to share knowledge with others. Those who believe that upward mobility should only be based on number of years as oppose to quality of these years.

Public Officers who resist change even when it is good for them. There are some officers who refuse to embrace Technology. Some are fearful that the use of technology or too much technology will replace them.

 

Recommendations:

An organization that emphasizes meritbased promotions fosters a culture of healthy competition and productivity. … If promotions are based purely on seniority, employees may not be as motivated to perform exceptionally, considering that promotion is guaranteed on the completion of a certain period within the company. (www.huffingtonpost.com)

  • Promotions and appointment in the public service should be based on merit. Political affiliation should never never play a role.
  • The members and the Secretary of Public Service Commission must have a strong Human Resource background;

Conclusion:

There can be a variety of reasons for an employee to turn complacent. Experts say boredom in job, lack of proper alignment to organizational vision, or even an absence of potential career growth can lead to complacency. If you are able to pinpoint the source, you can take an appropriate action. For this, the Establishment, Personnel and Training Department should play a vital role.

This article is deliberately short  – my expectations are that persons reading this give feedback/recommendations etc.. and the authority can start making a few changes.

The Public Service is in trouble and it did not arrive there suddenly.

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15 Comments

  1. Bob D
    November 30, 2020

    The Island haven’t produce anything.Dominica still operates the way the former slave masters envisioned. The former Slaves are in control, doing the very same thing to their People. In reality, these civil servants have a job for life + benefits while the average every day worker, continue to be looked down on. All these GIVEN Institutions , the African Slave descendasnts inherited from their british masters, is really meant to continue subjection. We no longer can point the finger at England, but the managers they left behind, are doing a very fine job on their behalf. Corruption and Nepotism are some of the Evils that have a treasured space and place in these institutions. When Party politics is added, the people ends up with vinegar instead of Water.

  2. Ibo France
    November 29, 2020

    The social and moral fabric of the society has been totally demolished by a leader with an incurable arrogance and a severely blurred vision.

    The country yearns for a leader who is honest, fair-minded, intellectually curious, visionary, humble, consultative, magnanimous, empathetic, and who sees people as human beings to be empowered and not only as votes.

  3. Pipo
    November 28, 2020

    The public service is withering and dying on the vine but what do you expect. Civil servants are watching one another, afraid to make decisions or a move that may not have the approval of the P.M. while others are ready to inform on their colleagues to try and score browny points with the same leadership, just like that radio hack, who is known as “that’s right” and a superannuated Parrot Piment-chaud. Poor civil servants, one wrong move and you are out. Whatever you do, don’t incur the wrath of the esteemed leader because his bile is too bitter. Better not make any waves when the effluent reaches up to your lips. Known what I mean

  4. Tina Alexander
    November 28, 2020

    Honestly, morale in the public service seems to be pretty low. In spite of the preponderance of female Permanent Secretaries and the increased number of female parliamentarians, I am not hearing a campaign for modern sexual harassment laws. Where are the policies outlawing “promotion in return for sexual favours” or inappropriate expectations of “thanks in kind” for allocation of resources that should be made simply on the basis of need?

  5. Viewsexpressed
    November 28, 2020

    Rosa Jules, I commend you on this brilliant article. We need more of those that this incompetent Skerrit Labour government and its blind loyalists will wake up and smell the coffee, and refer to failed incompetent Questionable inmature Skerrit and his failed questionable so called Labour government.
    After 20 long years this Failed idiotic Skerrit and his failed questionable immnature so called Labour government has failed us and reduced our people to begging and pleading for Handout and cash daily throughout the day because they are poorly taken care of while Odd Minister and his failed questionable Labour government has crippled our Dominica and our people who now show loyalty to this failed incompetent Skerrit and his failed questionable Labour government.
    Skerrit and his failed Labour government have overstayed their welcome and hypocrisy in government. We had enough of these Labour Political clowns and questionable corrupted Bobol deceitful Labour party government
    Shame on…

  6. Maindesk
    November 28, 2020

    Robot ministers with robot civil servants chosen because they show love for the PM. They would not even stand for their own pay package. PS appointments are the PM favourite ladies mostly and do not have to produce or be efficient because no one can discipline them so what do you expect. The head is rotten and the solutions no matter how noble cannot work with a decayed head. Before anything, it is the head that must be fixed first.

  7. Civil servant
    November 28, 2020

    As a public servant with over 30yrs of service I’d just say that:
    1. Politics will always negatively affect the service..whichever party wins will always bring in “their people” and more often than not end up putting “square pegs in round holes”..
    2. The issue of “complacency” is most often due to a lack of effective communication. A civil servant is just a “cog in the wheel”..but the wheel needs every cog to keep on spinning. And, unfortunately, the “bigger heads” keep forgetting that..
    3. And the last thing is that: civil servant are qualified men and women who have decided to work for their country. More than half of us could be in literally any other country and be there working for better wages.
    In my humble opinion, I think that, politics not withstanding, the lack of communication between the different levels of the “hierarchy”, coupled with the limited opportunities for upward mobility, (and don’t forget the disparity in salary compared to our sister…

  8. Garvey
    November 27, 2020

    The observation is on point,but that’s a problem in the making for the past 20 years.Nepertism is always around but this current administration has taken it to a whole new level,the tribalistic ways and the lack of vision blocks our progress and impedes our growth. The people running the country today are to stupid and backwards to understand the lack of initiative will be their own self destruction.We need visionaries who think outside the box.

  9. Sand
    November 27, 2020

    There is a definite need for a better service in many of the public and private sectors. It seems to me there is a lack of accountability, incentive and empathy for others. It’s such a shame, as taking pride in a job well done makes for a more rewarding life. Increased productivity leads to money saving in the public sector and happier customers means increased profits in the private sector.
    It would be good (and definitely less frustrating) to see a vast improvement all round in Customer Service.

  10. Nkrumah Kwame
    November 27, 2020

    Mrs./Ms. Jules, thanks for addressing a matter of national concern.
    Would you agree, however, that dissatisfaction with the PSC, even if it existed to some degree in the past, has deepened and intensified during this Labour administration?
    This government, along with its policies, or lack thereof, is the reason for this sad situation.
    Look at the membership of the PSC, examine the utterances of its chair along with those of the PM. They have deliberately chosen to disregard the laws as they relate to its management. I am sure you can recall the statement of the PM to the gen sec of the PSU: he runs things. They don’t, by any stretch of the imagination, subscribe to justice and fairness. How do you explain the non-appointment of employees in the service for over TEN YEARS??!!
    Additionally, some officers seem to be afraid of politicians or don’t know their rights and roll over to their wishes.
    Until and unless policies are followed, the CS is doomed.
    HOTEP!

  11. Ibo France
    November 27, 2020

    Every appointment to the public service from Permanent Secretaries down to the drain cleaners and janitors is stacked with ultra loyalists and extremists of Mr. Skerrit. Most of them are supremely unqualified for their positions.

    One of the biggest problems with the Roosevelt Skerrit.’s administration is that it overpromises and underdelivers

  12. ???????????????
    November 27, 2020

    I was really thinking about this today.

    This article is very objective.

    I may add that sometimes persons are transferred and take up positions in a haphazard way and I mean that the new person in the position has not been apprised of the job or perhaps because they are succeeding someone it may be they place the blame on the one they are replacing. Persons do not seem to know anything and the customers goes round and round. Filing seems to be a problem or perhaps unmotivated staff tend not to want to go through the files. Granted there are some staff who worked very well. I can attest to a particular lady in one department. Also if you work well as you should, other staff members make you think that something wrong with you or some see you as a threat and they vent on you. They can be very uncooperative and will just say “I don’t know” to things they know and should know.
    Actually the biggest problem is rebellion against authority (no respect), some persons show no…

  13. Ibo France
    November 27, 2020

    This a candid and honest response to the commentary. The article is timely as the civil service in Dominica is in steep and constant decline. We have to examine at the incumbent regime for if the government is dysfunctional the whole of the public sector becomes dysfunctional.

    What the country needs more than ever is GOOD GOVERNANCE as this is conspicuously absent for the past twenty (20) plus years. The bad governance did not commence with the present administration but it is worse now than ever before.

    These are just a few INDICATORS of Good Governance badly needed at present in Dominica if the southwards trajectory of the country is to be reversed.
    *Transparency *Accountability *Competence *Fair Electoral System *Sound Financial Management *Social Cohesion *Adherence to Rule of Law

    Dominica will continue on its present path to oblivion if the corruption in government and the passiveness and indifference among civil society continues.

  14. Juanita
    November 27, 2020

    A decaying public service indeed! There is a concept in management that a fish decays from the head down. Go figure!

    • RoRo
      November 27, 2020

      Not only a decaying public service but also a decaying police force and judicial service. All this decay is orchestrated buy the government of Dominica with its conductor Skerrit. Our country is close to ruin not only financially but also morally as a result of it!

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