Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said he plans to meet with the country’s union representatives in the New Year to discuss and share with them the framework which his government is looking to utilize and solicit from them their ideas regarding the reclassification of public officers.
The prime minister was speaking to State-Owned Radio DBS following the first cabinet meeting of the new DLP government on Thursday.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit had said while addressing a Dominica Labour Party (DLP) rally in Delices before the election, that the reclassification of jobs would be a better route to take than salary increases for public officers.
“I am the first person in Dominica who will admit that salaries should be higher in Dominica. I accept that; I agree with that. There is no argument about this but what would a two per cent increase in your salary of two thousand dollars mean to you?” he asked.
He proposed instead, a reclassification exercise that would enable public officers to elevate themselves to a higher position and, as a result, get a higher salary.
“I am hoping to convene a meeting very early in the New Year with all the union representatives, so we can have a discussion from the onset and so I can share with them the framework which we are looking to utilize and solicit from them any ideas or suggestions which they have in so far as the reclassification is concerned,” Prime Minister Skerrit said.
The idea, he said, is to have participation from the beginning to the end of the process.
Skerrit said this is also the thinking of the government as a whole and many other people, that “this is the way to go if we are to address, in a structured systematic manner, the issue of terms and conditions of employment within the public service.”
He said his government will use external expertise to assist with the professional technical work that is required.
“But it is my intention to bring in our local task force that will be made up of both public sector people, the unions and also non-governmental organizations and individuals who will serve as an oversight committee to ensure that there is transparency in the process,” the prime minister stated.
Meanwhile, Skerrit said the first meeting with the new cabinet of ministers went “very well.”
“Well, we had a first full cabinet today. I believe that it went very well,” he said. “There is a great focus on determination on the part of all the members of cabinet who discussed broadly and specifically some of the things we have to focus on in the next weeks and months in respect to projects and programmes,” he stated.
Prime Minister Skerrit mentioned also, that his government is looking at the whole restructuring of the various ministries.
“There are some things that we have to do differently and there are some things that we have to do better…,” he said. “One of the areas we need to look at is the whole restructuring of the ministries to ensure that we can give greater attention to things like project implementation, project follow-up and project management, so that we can have greater efficiency, the implementation of the public sector investment programme and of course, improve on our coordination with our external partners where project financing is concerned.”
Skerrit went on to say that he hopes the cabinet of ministers understands what is expected them and they are prepared to put in the time, energy and effort in fulfilling those commitments.
The people who will meet with him for this reclassification should insist on getting their raises instead of being reclassified. After all, if the old way of voting is good for now, why can’t the old classification be good? Dominicans, stand up for what you believe. He is but a man that God can take at any moment, he is not invincible, except in his mind.
The people who will meet with him for this reclassification should insist on getting their raises instead of being reclassified. After all, if the old way of voting is good for now, why can’t the old classification be good? Dominicans, stand up for what you believe. He is but a man that God can take at any moment, he is not invincible, except in his mind.
Reclassification? Just another con term for more cronyism, socialism, nepotism, and neglect and abuse of the people.
If anyone can accept this man saying a 2% raise is nothing, then there is a serious lack of intelligent analysis among our people. Most people do not reclassification, they need an augmentation of their salaries to help improve their lives and their children’s lives. How many raises has he received over these last 19 years?
What isthe role of the Establishment, Personnel and Training Department?? I mean PM can give himself a raise. He did it when he came into office. what is the problem now?
Skerrit is really a political dumb to open this nonsense if he was actually the person who did it. “PM Skerrit to meet with unions early next year on reclassification of public service” Skerrit, GOVERNMENT AND ITS LEDERSHIP THAT has failed its people and our Dominica must first go “clean up their own dirty backyard” before you attempt to do anything so that people will say this failed Skerrit is doing something. I wonder who penned this nonsense for him.
Skerrit we are to meet you to reclassify your position from “Prime Minister” to that of “Odd failed Prime Minister”. Skerrit you are just not Prime Minister material. You are a fanfare political clown who will do anything to buy loyalty you have lost to stay in office. Now, in your immature, illiterate thoughts and after you have failed our Dominica, now want to bring in indecency that you want all parties to join You? Skerrit failed to address issue of good governance To much bobol stained you Skerrit. Go to Hell” Out!…
*THE CALL TO PRAYER – BY QUEEN VICTORIA*
Listen to the words of Queen Victoria’s calypso song, calling them out on *bribery* & *corruption*, coupled with *nepotism* & *cronyism*.
To put into words… the effects from bureaucratic corruption cripples labour productivity growth, affecting the employment structure of Dominica.
https://youtu.be/CBtPQ8Qym80
You cannot pay teachers increase but you have the country’s millions bringing down foreign musicians? You will pay for this great suffering you have brought on your own people, you selfish b*stard.
Civil servants. Did you vote for Labour Party? If you did, and I find out, don’t come asking me for money. I am warning you all.
There is so much victimization of people who do not support the government by the skerrit appointed public service commission. If Letang allow this man to get his way there will be chaos. He does nothing to benefit us all but a chosen lazy few.
While I am an apolitical born and bred Dominican, I am a bit concerned with the future development of our country.
We do not have a sustainable economy – Agriculture is to the point of extinction, Tourism is still in its budding stages despite the plethora of hotels being built (no acceptable infrastructure), Manufacturing is not sustainable, Labor market is, for the most part, unskilled and/or lacking.
The economy is stagnant at best.
During the election, we were promised a whole lot – International Airport, New Hospital, Housing allocated to select individuals, etc.
Now that the cabinet is announced, it is made up of 16 ministers, each earning a salary, leading me to ask:
– How does a poor country like ours afford such a bloated payroll?
– Are the cabinet members qualified for the appointed positions?
– With the Prime Minister being the SMARTEST man in the room, who is going to be the Voice of Reason?
– Can any cabinet member voice an opposing viewpoint or just follow the…
If the objective truth were to be told about Skerrit, he would be in jail right now. Skerrit is morally and ethically unfit to hold the office he now occupies. He has vandalized and blackened the Office of the Prime Minister. Graffiti is presently plastered on everything in that once revered place of respect. The sooner he vacates the people’s office, the better the country. He CANNOT be trusted! The only things he is expertly good at are CORRUPTION, making FALSE ASSERTIONS and mismanaging the COUNTRY’S FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
If you think we on de outside of your influence can’t see through you….
You will not be able to tell de public service about your interest in their improvement in their salary…. go check your records.
But best you just tell de government workers that the economy is in trouble.
De record will show that you made yourself a millionaire at the same time offering public servants 0% salary increase
THAT IS YOUR RECORD SKERRIT!
I know you were lying about you complaining about your salary
And you were also lying about you think that they justifiably need an adjustment in salary
While you talk of a bright economy…. that bright economy can’t seem to afford to give public servants more than 0%
We still waiting for the 50 something junior clerks temporary to get appointed.
Man, that was just a promise. When you stop taking these promises Seriously?
Ok we are looking forward to dynamic dominica. Just make sure you are humble and listen to the other side suggestions and not make fun of them.
Are these “external expertise” and “external partners” of whom you speak the ones dictating this absurd plan to you, and insinuating that public officers are too dumb and incompetent to deserve a raise?
The alleged father of all BRIBERY “Kickback” and CORRUPTION talks….
When EVIL resonates across the fabric of a society and perpetuates itself through self-subversion it frays and thrashes itself toward disassemblage.
When a cack-handed Prime Minister uses EVIL by bringing his paralytic tongue, the dialect of impossible belief, the word-in-arrest festers upon a nation – it draws forward the unspeakable, for the verses of evil, whether poetic of profane, base or enchanted, reflect the deathliness of language itself, and thus the living death of a nation.
This exercise is only for optics. The unions have been crying out for years about the starvation wages of their members. You vehemently dismissed their excruciating pains. Have you had an epiphany lately, Mr. Skerrit? You are nothing but a congenital LIAR and a colossal DECEIVER.