The Dominica Labour Party-led government has taken a decision to allow public officers one hour off each week to engage in physical activities in effort to remain physically healthy and fit.
Communications Minister Ambrose George, who represented Sports Minister Justina Charles, made that disclosure at the 2011 National sports award at the fort young Hotel Wednesday night.
George said government will reorganize the sports structure in Dominica
“This idea was welcomed by the public officers who are taking full advantage of the opportunity. This is certainly another demonstration of the interest of government in the well being of the citizens of Dominica,” he said.
Meantime Shane Shillingford received the award for sports man of the year, Shanika Yankee sports female athlete of the year and Kavem Hodge male sports athlete of the year.
The sports woman and sports man of the year each received $1,000.
Pearl Etienne received the award for female cricketer of the year while Brian Francis received the award for Sports Reporter of the year and Carlisle Jno Baptiste the FIFA official for the year.
I get the idea behind it but these people do 9-5 and have all the time
In the world to get fit since they only work 5days a week. Let them work out on the weekend or on their time, or even better, have them come in for physical training after work or on the weekend. Not on work time man.
And yes Dominica is becoming an obese country. We need to eat right, drink less and exercise more
ok so after they take a 2 hour lunch break , they still get an hour at the end of the week . be reasonable , why not just start a sport club.
An hour off for work ethics training, maybe: an hour off for physical exercise, you must be joking!
Presumably “he/she is taking exercise” will add to the list of staff unavailability when phoning Government Departments…
He/she has not arrived in as yet; he/she has just stepped out; he/she is in a meeting; he/she is on another line; he/she is not at his/her desk; he/she has gone for lunch; he/she has not as yet returned from lunch; he she has left for the day; he/she is on leave; he/she is out of State, etc. etc.
I really try to refrain from commenting on stuff here. But I cannot agree with you more. Can you imagine this is going to be chaos. Already majority of civil servants have a very laid back attitude which they make no effort to hide, now they are given an extra hour upon all the hours that some of them sit back and do nothing. I mean this is one hell of a thing!!!! I think people can exercise on their own free time. Half an hour exercise per day, before or after work thats all, no need to cut work for that. I have never heard of this any where.
How does this hairbrain idea get past a cabinet meeting? One would have thought the person who dreamed this up wo0uld be too embarrassed to even mention it in a meeting.
If people are interested in their health, they will take steps to stay healthy. If they are not interested, you can give them a week off each month to exercise and all they will do is sit in front of the TV watching Oprah.
Utterly ridiculous.
Part of The infiltrated DLP’s policy of a gov’t of inclusion, meaning incoorperating all kind of ideas from all kinds of peeps even if it make no sense as you clearly explained.Wasn’t it this same dumbas gov’t who gave Cliford Celaire as coach of the football team much difficulty in securing time off from DAWASCO 2 years ago? it took partick John to make political milage with the issue? Two years later some dumb bulb in the party or the ministry of sports saw the silly /contradictory double blooper.What planners we have on island. kelly did sing abou Dumbs-in-cans.The smart ass who conceived the idea should look forward to his/her medal in NOV. Oh what a country!
My GOD, are you all out there in Dominica ” for real?”. Dominica isn’t producing anything yet you all are reducing ” production time”. This government is really a BUNCH OF STOOGES !
Guess that was the idea of the productivity consultant Mr Parry Bellot, first task on the job, its funny after being a civil servant for all this years up to today that i have to witness so much waste in the public service just to satisfy a certain class of persons
No wonder these americans have to think we lazy, unproductive and laid back…I mean common…I just read not too long that Sunday is a public holiday…How can this be any attraction to foriegn investors looking to open shop on the island..its better we promote the island as a retirement destination..
This is such a joke! I usually run at 5am in the morning and start work at 8am. I meet quite a number of persons walking or running in the mornings. Some choose to do their exercise in the afternoon. Anyone who wants to exercise will make time for it. This is the most ridiculous idea I have ever heard. Giving individuals paid time off to attend national training and represent the country is what needs to be considered. In the meantime, communities should take up the mantle to ensure that there are activities in their areas which would foster weight loss. However,exercise alone cannot solve the problem, we need to go back to eating more healthy foods. Most importantly, the culture as it relates to physical activity must change and that change has to begin in the schools. My neice goes to a high school and for weeks on end she wears her pe uniform, but no pe is taught, yet the pe teachers get paid. These are the things that have to be checked. Physical activity has to become part of the culture for things to change.
I can understand, what with 24/7 TV and Internet there are many who do not exercise; too much sitting. Gone are the days when people would do more walking than driving. There is always a price to pay, one way or the other for progress.
Time off work is always welcomed by employees – anything not to work – no exception elsewhere in the world. Is it necessary to give them an hour off to exercise?
As the saying: “Early to bed, early to rise…and the early bird catches the worm.” Go to bed at a certain time and wake up at a certain time. Many people wake up early to exercise. Others do so after work. Housework is good exercise.
Dominica has relatively warm/hot weather throughout the year. They can start walking and leave their vehicles at home especially if they reside near where they are employed. This is a good way of exercising.
Oh, DA land of siwo. The govt is endorsing more none productive time. The idea in teory is good, but we all know that in practice it will be abused and not used as intended. This is not practical. You can’t monitor it either.
Oh, and wait for the justifications. Hey Tim what were you doing at the bar on your hour off? Hey, weightlifting is lifting two kubuli’s at the bar. lol
Its better that gov’t makes more productive use of tax payers money such as paid time off for national sportmen on overseas trips.
I am the productivity expert i was appointed and get paid for dong so. i am currently preparing a paper linking productivity with the hour given to civil servants to excercise. Productivity linked to physical activity.
Mr. Minister Thanks for the one hour paid leave every week. I will go home early once a week and go relax in the Botanical Gardens.
There is no way u can do that since there is a register at the gate.
Anonymous, how cleaver you are. Everyone these days looking to make an extra dollar this presents an easy way.I wonder if you get the drift? LMAO. I done figure out a way around that. lol
You dotish or waht if you haven’t check the drift. hahahhaaha am laughing you cause you there wondering what is drift not the soap powder.In south Africa when i was there many yrs ago they had a brand of soap powder called drift as we have breeze.Wih all this you must be a t a greater loss bewildered. Scroll for the answer.
Pay the register person to sign you in lol!
There is also a register in every government office
A Political decision to allow public officers one hour off each week to engage in physical activities in effort to remain physically healthy and fit. How do those decisions come about, Nuh? After the hour of work out, sweating, tired, would that worker begin working again straight away? So more likely, it would be about 1 and 1/2 to two hours off. What about doing ones physical exercises early morning before going to work or after 4.00 p.m. or in the evening? Those cosmetic announcements are merely made to make the public officers feel nice so that they would turn a blind eye to the inequalities, the corruption, the inefficiencies and in competencies of the DLP-led Govt.
Why not encourage , educate people to wake up earlier from their beds, feel the freshness and coolness of the early mornings, exercise, get prepared, then be in a better frame of mind to provide efficient service to the public? Or to do those exercises after working hours to expel the stress of the days work and to set the mind for the following day? Public officers would be much better off if they see that the DLP-led Govt. places emphasis on a comprehensive National Integrated Development Plan, taking on board their advice and inputs, working in tandem with them and their union as well as in close collaboration with other sections of society. They would be better off mentally and physically if they know of the plans and see implementation of those plans for the country to create its own wealth and to boost the economy. They would then be able to receive better salaries to improve their own standard of living and that of their families in these hard times.
A simple way to make this work is to allow the unions to run a gym, arobics class for that one hour. The Government will pay for its employees, public servants like us will be in shape and the unions will make money and take attendance.
Those who do not attend will not get paid for that hour, and the union cannot fight the government on that issue.
Its a win, win situation for everybody. plain and simple logic, try it.
now how does this operate? am i suppose to come back to my desk all sweaty? or will i be going home at three?
I am confused, to me one hour a week is not sufficient time to allow anybody to take charge of their health, it is just a wast ot time and slows down production. Imagine 1000 employees’ take one hour off a week this is more than a month’s worth production, are you kidding me? what else is new in DA.
60 minutes one hour ,five working days 60/5 = 12 minutes a day for PE stats for your money.
Only brilliant guys come up with such bright ideas. hip hip hip hooray for the bright idea.
1000 employees take 1 hr 12000 man hours. Ask parry bellot about that.isn’t he the producivity consultant/ person in the RS gov’t?
As a Tax payer, why should I be paying for public officers to stay healthy?
Madness. lol
People are responsible for their health.
i’m confused…why can’t they do their physical activity after 4? And what’s the guarantee that they will take that hour to actually engage in physical activity. Make concessions where it matters gov’t!
Idiot don’t you think that there are measures put in place to address these concerns.
Garcon same thing i saying u know, why must the Govt get involved in people lives why can’t people take responsibility for their actions, that medard fella copying everything from Cuba
o give me a break with your name calling…you darn well know is a bull decision…what useful
purpose does that serve???
@ Anonymous
I recall reading a joke that a soldier was matching with other soldiers. He said that every one of them is out-of-step except himself. Get the sense and message of this?
We all see things and think differently. You must learn to object and provide your comments in a courteous manner. Also learn Internet etiquette. Do you know the person “hmmm” who commented?
A person commented and you are calling him/her “idiot”. Why the usage of this derogatory word towards another person? If you disagree with someone this is no reason to call the person idiot.
Hmmm is correct. I see absolutely nothing wrong with this comment. It makes good sense and point to me. I gave the comment “Thumbs Up”.
As for you, I would give you thumbs down for calling the person idiot. Learn to talk and comment respectfully. Such a comment could cause a war, disagreement, discord and enmity. People must learn to be, free to agree or disagree amicably.
I always state if people are Christians and say that they go by the Bible, they should know how to speak respectfully, accord others their due rights, freedom and dignity as they expect of others. We are to excel in our attitude and project a good example also in words.
DNO should prohibit this type of comment as yours.
And all comments ending with Christian and God???? Truth,Justice , Bouef,Love, dis-accord Peace , War and unity
@ Anonymous
remain anonymous you complete imbecile…what realistic measures can be put in place to prevent what “Hmmm” is trying to point out. From your comment I can see that there might be missing bearings from your cerebral cortex. So my advice to you is, if you can’t give a meaningful contribution to what is being discussed, just read some of the more thoughtful comments..you never know, you might learn a thing or two…