Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has emphasized that the government is not responsible for employing people in the public service.
Speaking on Focus on Government and Development, last week, Skerrit noted that employment of individuals is done through the Public Service Commission.
“So, no names come to the Cabinet to say ‘Well, these are the names of people that we have to employ in a particular school, at a particular time’. That is done by the public service, and the administrators of the public service, with direct recommendations with the Public Service Union,” he elaborated. “I think it is unfair for anybody to give the impression that it is the Minister or the Prime Minister or the Cabinet that employs people in the schools, or in the Ministry of Health, or elsewhere.”
Skerrit underscored that the Cabinet’s responsibility is to ensure that the Ministry of Education has the resources to pay people who are employed within the public service.
This follows comments made last week by President of the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT), Celia Nicholas, urging the government to review the ways in which teachers are being recruited on the island, and to refrain from placing individuals in classrooms based on likes or the receiving of votes.
Additionally, Skerrit explained that although the Prime Minister is constitutionally granted the authority to a ‘no objection’, this power is limited to certain positions within the public service, and is exercised without bias.
“The Constitution provides for the Prime Minister to give his ‘no objection’ to certain positions within the public service. And, that constitutional authority is exercised without affection or ill-will. It is done in an objective manner. So, we are not responsible for the school teachers in the classroom—the employment of them,” Skerrit said. “…even where the Constitution gives the Prime Minister the authority to give his ‘no objection’, he allows the Public Service Commission and the public servants to go ahead and employ them, with no reference to the Prime Minister.”
This “no objection” is enshrined in Section 86 (1) of the Constitution, and has been exercised by every Prime Minister since 1978.
On June 16, 1858, at what was then the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Abraham Lincoln stated that “a house divided against itself cannot stand”. Meaning that a Country/Nation that is divided MUST fall!!! This Government (One Man) has taken the practice of Nepotism, Cronyism and Favoritism to new heights. It is a practice that has further weakened an already weak Country, while political appointments are slowly crippling all critical Institutions of Government, the Government (One Man) must in turn bear the weight of financially sustaining a FAILING SYSTEM!!!! It is commendable that Ms. Celia Nicholas decided to stand up on the issue, yet it is far more important for the people of our Island-Nation to understand that this DOES NOT grow a Country…it destroys it. Can you just imagine how much pressure the Prime Minister is under to keep finding money to pay this one-sided, bloated workforce? No wonder the call to jealously embrace the selling of our Birthrights!!!
Are you for real, Mr. PM? Unbelievable! It really sounded like a big joke when I heard it on DBS News, but reading it here I’m realizing he really said that. When are you going to speak truth, Mr. PM?
My brother mr PM it look like your heart feels happyer when you tell LIES. Boss just some weeks pass if my friend dent come into your office he would have not been working you had to find a sport in there for him after not having a job for all these years with your D.L.P boss when you going to stop telling us DOM.IN.CANS Lies and more Lies
the joke is they will still vote for them. But really, the joke is on us hahaha.
Celia Nicholas,i do not know who you are but i love you..well done..our children your checking..nuff respect
Ok I give up. That man must have been living on another planet or that doctor is really and truly mad
“The Constitution provides for the Prime Minister to give his ‘no objection’ to certain positions within the public service”. How can you say that the Gov’t is not responsible for employing people in the PUBLIC SERVICE, aren’t you part of the Gov’t?. We all know that preferential selections are made based on party affiliation, you can fool your RED CLINIC recipients but not most of the country.
In a land where people get post based on party in power. In a land where labour supporters get job qualify or not,. In a land where the party in power create jobs for their pals….
Dominica has been so and it maybe so for a long long time. Party politics killing the country.
Mr PM is really amazing what you just said.
The reality is that Mrs Nicolas is a woman of high integrity… She would never come out with false stories.
It was the same when UWP was in power
.
Well on what basis was brother Steve Joseph and brother Don Corriette and others removed from the positions they held at theODM ??? It is well known thatl directives came from outside and above the parent ministry. I am challenging the head of the public service , the head of the ministry, the head of the PSC speak honestly. Before leaving the Govt service I tried to get an honest response from these offices and all I got was aa exclamation booyyyyy!! None was willing to give an explanation. Not even Joseph and or Corriette;. not even the PSU the union for the public service wanted to comment. Why they choose not say anything i don’t know. Brother Steve is the President of the PSU while Corriette is a member yet still the union says or does nothing about it. So if those who are affected stay mute then Skerrit do right to claim innocence next time just kick them out and when they accuse you of physical abuse just say like Shaggy “it wasn’t me”.
not just that. the past financial comptroller. and the appointment of the new one that is acting comptroller for how many years now.
I could have sworn he had said that he could have blocked Sanford from getting the job in college or he allowed him to get the job in college. Something to that extent.
Roosevelt you know that is a lie; yes we do have a public service commission who’s major task is to employ Civil Servants; nevertheless, we all know that without your recommendations, and blessings, the puppets on the board cannot give a job to the most deserving, or the most qualify applicant!
That is a tradition in Dominica which blossomed after the colonialist left Dominica. I will not name any individual, or which government was in power; however, I know for a fact there was a teaching position opened; and I am not going to state the village, but I will say between Wesley, Marigot, Woodford Hill and Calibishe.
One person made a phone call to (and I doh saying if it was to the commission, or the ministry of education), but I know for a fact someone was directed “not to give the job to anybody until someone by a certain name arrived, “give him the job!?”
So, again talk and believe your notorious lies!
PM I sincerely wish it is so.
Boss mr dus lie… Imagine mostly all road in dominica bad and mr fail to fix them… But the lil while mr go morn Daniel he already concrete the whole road to go by his house…
don’t worry about this public show among this two labourites…….she is just using teachers as usually….maybe her personal gains were not met this,,,,,,,,so she using teachers to get it.since when celia nicholas care abut the interest of teachers? She sits there and says nothing about the ills going on in society in which those same teachers come from and have to deal with children from frustrated parents, I smell a dead rat.
Sir we must congratulate the Public Service Commission for employing, Charlie Chung, Eddie lambert all your advisors, Dr Aaron, Oyan the Purtle turtle beach Guy, pastor Joseph wife, Mandra Fagan, so u want me to go on the Public Service employed almost 100 persons , doh get vex with me Sir,,
Peter, some of those of those positions are political and does not even fall in the category of a non-established government worker.
By the time Skerrit falls, all of his political employees shall fall with him, Aaron and all dem boys going down with Skerrit eh!
In some countries. when the leader lies excessively they throw shoes in their faces. This PM is luckyy he is not in a real country
This is not nice to state. You would be responsible if someone acted on your words. Some of you are disrespectful, rude and inconsiderate. One of the problems is, you do not live by the Golden Rule. If it were Linton, regarding him, I would never make such a comment. I suppose these things have their people.
You were not referring to a democratic country. For, if this were done in such a country, the person would be immediately arrested and charged. Imprisonment would ensue.
Always project a good example that others might follow, especially the youths. You can help your country in different ways. In this way you would also be helping your country.
you too sot. It can be linton or anyone of them, mamo, PJ, Piero, Charlo included. Hold a shoe in your face if is lie you lieing to the people who paying you and put you there!
Why do you talk such damnit rubbish. Are you for real, blind, dottish or just sentimentally stupid.
I rest my case
I agree sir.
I know of public officers who suffered as a result of directives that has come from you so you are a liar. But you will appear to be speaking the truth for the chairman of the Public Service Commission the doctor of teeth do not dare confront your statement. He knows that what you say is not true. Your positioning of a colleague’s wife to the post of Chief Personnel Officer is strategic. What hurts the most is that particular woman professes they are born again Christians more than any other; she and her husband could be heard on the radio seeking forgiveness from the Dominican public for the mistakes made a few years ago yet still she is involved in doing your ,,,,,, work …………………………………..
Prime minister I applaud you .Tell celia Nicholas to do her research first before opening her mouth and destroying your good name. I never liked this woman…… PM be careful who you associate with. They may smile in your face but believe me that doesn’t mean they won’t betray you.!!she reminds me of some of you so called followers. I see them smile with you ,but behind your back I just shake my head.You are not all bad,you have faults and you have your merits. I condemn your foolishness when it happens and applaud your efforts when you do good.
Even the landfill would refuse this garbage…Thing is Skerrit lies a lot,and every time he opens his mouth, it becomes clearer and clearer that he is an enemy to speaking the truth!!
Hamil your own hate words ” I never like that woman”. Meaning you hate her; but you and others like you will be the first to call others “haters” see how our own demons come back to hunt us.
boss.. doh go after ma joe … wam2u
You are such a fool. Are you saying that Mrs Nicholas doesn’t know how the system works or is supposed to work? On the contrary, it is exactly because she is in the know why she is able to make her comments. All skerritt does is make people do his dirty work for him and then claim his hands are clean. Government doesn’t appoint anyone but the PSC appoints who the are told to appoint or promote, contrary to what skerritt is saying. I mean, be serious, do you think the undeserving police officers who get promotion got it without the PSC receiving instructions from skerritt? Just listen to what he said about the homes at bath estate and that tells you all you need to know. There has always been a certain level of political favouritism in Dominica but roosevelt skerritt has taken it to an new high. He has become lord and master and decides who should eat and who shouldn’t and all because of people like you.
Very untrue. I personally know a young lady who was employed as a result of the intervention by the minister of …………
Yes you are.
You control everything in Dominica. I think in your mind you believe that you are more powerful than God Almighty.
Dominicans are puppets that you are stringing along. You have stripped Dominicans of all dignity and turned them into a pathetic shadow of what they used to be.
u here lie that is lie, skerrit that is lie hhhhmmmmm
Skerrit, we didnt just wake up yesterday and you became PM, that have been you and the DLP’s legacy for the pass 16 years, so you can’t fool anyone with that
Skerrit forgot that this is what he had to say about Claudius Sandford last year?
PM responds to “jobs for the boys” criticism
Dominica News Online – Monday, April 13th, 2015 at 11:58 AM
Members of the UWP protesting what they described as “abuse of the public purse”
“I listen to criticisms, I try to assess criticisms but this one doesn’t make sense to me.”
This is the reaction of Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, to claims by the United Workers Party (UWP) that several Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidates, who were unsuccessful in the last general election, were given appointments and high-paying jobs.
Skerrit was a guest on privately-owned Kairi’s Heng Program on Monday………….
Skerrit noted that he could have blocked the employment of Claudius Sanford, who contested the Salybia Constituency for the UWP, at the Dominica State College (DSC).
What do you call that?
But people daft. Didn’t he say he has the privilege of NO OBLIGATION? So what’s the point of your statement? People really read to respond and not to understand. You’re a perfect example
@Princess Natari – Absolutely brilliant fact-finding by you. Direct, to the point and a wonderful example exposing the lies and conflicting statements of dat man.
Well, well you have guts!!!!
Liar. Liar. Check your pants. When …… minister prevented the young man from …… from getting the job. Where did the name go? Stop telling lies.
nice try. i can challenge that statement and perhaps i will.
The PM is ok , so he is unable to be sympathetic to the very people who want to work but no opportunity for them.
Mr.Prime Minister tell us about the job classification that you had promised the educators of your country.We are still waiting to hear from you. Can you tell us about that also. Blessings.
Then if this statement is true Sir you need to fire the Commission because it was my intention to take the matter of the Permanent Secretaries that were recently appointed e.g. Mandra Fagan, Sylvanie Burton, Karen Prevost, Harold Guiste and Jean Jacque to Court since I am more qualified and experienced than them. But I live to see them making a mess of the Ministries but I guess you all are just too ashamed to get them out now. So I say if these people were not appointed on your instructions fire the Public Service Commission.
add to the list the folks at cornwall street. pm come again you hear?
It seems like PM has consolidated his belief in his habitual misrepresentation of the truth..otherwise he would have been ashamed to tell so many lies..
Notice also that he’s not concerned with the real problem which is incapable individuals posing as teachers in Dominica’s schools..
When this era is over Dominica will have a lot of damage control to implement including the purging, restructuring and rebuilding of key institutions.
No matter how much Dominicans talk, nothing will change till more people like Celia Nicholas stand up and realize that this ’cause is greater than any one individual..Dominica will be far sorrier 10 years from now if more ppl don’t stand up..
We know that you are lying to us again. There’s no victimization either based on political party support or lack there off? “What a tangled web we weave, when we constantly deceive and deceive.”
Mr. PM, can you use this no objection power to change your PS of Health and the CMO? You used it to get her in that position. Now our health sector is the worse it has ever been.
PM it is allege you have to give the ok for all GOVT employment, if not people are chastised.
What about Clear Harbor ( Call Center) a private company in DA…..
If at all possible – and it appears that it is, based on the Prime Minister’s response – one would realize his was a non-denial response. The Prime Minister’s response was a classic situation of wanting to eat his cake and have it too. His allowing that he’s used the “no objection” clause of the Constitution from time to time to decide who gets into the Public Service, on an “objective” basis, is admission that he, too, continues to meddle with the lack of objective hiring within the service. Still, the man (and those holding this office before him) is not without sin, where the matter is concerned, as the last line in the news article attests.
If that is the truth, then please explain how the present Director of Agriculture got his position above more qualified candidates.
I know Cecilia Nicholas and know that she would not make the comments if she didn’t know what she was talking about.Skerritt officially the public service commission is responsible for hiring ,but a politicized public service commission will hire someone when a political directive is given to them by the Prime minister or other government ministers,knowing well that if they don’t carry out the directive they will lose favor with the government and no longer be on the commission.In reality that’s how it works.You are a hippocrete Skerritt.
SO, isnt the Establishment Unit responsible for hiring Govt workers? Isnt the Establishment Unit located at the Government Headquarters? http://establishment.gov.dm/ the website uses “.gov” stating its is part of the local government ministries and divisions. So yes the Government is responsible for hiring and firing of public servants.
he has a right to say so, as the foolish people sit back and accept everything…
whip them hard skero, they are fools who deserve to be deceived every second of the day..
whip them skero, them too darm foolish…
Way papa again a public lie PM. What about the airport worker, I know of a teacher placed in a school in my community who is a political employee and everyday its a problem.
I know of someone who was placed on a board had the letter in his hand and it was pulled out. Please Sir come again. Man I could go on and on.
“The Constitution provides for the Prime Minister to give his ‘no objection’ to certain positions within the public service” Is that the same Constitution that you denigrated ? ‘Man keep your lying mouth shut
Skerrit is not understanding what he is saying. Skerrit is admitting that the hiring process is the responsibility of the PSC. The PSC was set up by the laws of Dominica so it is part and part the Government. Skerrit has confused Government and labour party and by his public appearances and utterances mostly confuses his responsibility as a government official and a labour party mob boss. Institutions like the registry, treasury, statistics, police service commission etc… are permanent instruments of the Government set up by law, so they are the government. In the same breath he is also indicating he has rights under law to approve who is employed. That sounds like a man admitting he is doig exactly what he says he is not. If skerrit really meant what he said above i am sorry for Dominica. The PM of a country is confused on what is the Government and its responsibility. Now if he had said labour party that would be something else. Ignorance is a real curse.
I remember a few years ago the then police commissioner Carette complained about the caliber of police recruits that they were sending up to Mourne Bruce for training.
But this is what a country gets when there is mediocrity ,misfits and incompetence at the leadership positions. Corruption and “macaque” at the top begets corruption, couchonir and idiocy all the way to the bottom.
It is no coincidence that the country is in a tail spin
It is foolish to believe that leaders will not influence hiring, come on Mr. P. M.
You hear lies and more lies!
Skerrit needs to take the lie detector test cause that was a lie
But PM, all that is the government. You don’t seem to understand what Government means
It’s a pity your nose can’t grow like Pinocchio’s.
”Constitutional authority is exercised without affection or ill will”
Come on Sir . you need to read what is written for you before you address the public .
I can only say Prime Minister , ‘you did not write that yourself and keep such a straight face saying it .”
ein bien weh .
Dominican Ministers are different to all others ?
all politicians know how to play the game, they exercise the privilege to influence who become Govt employees , and I speak as one of them .
Amen
Or his pants literally catch on fire every time he opens his mouth.
More laced cool aid from Skerrit. The practice is different from what the laws and regulations require.
This guy never ceases to amaze me! He is good at that, but he can fool SOME people all the time but he CANNOT fool all of the people. People get situated in positions by all ministers by all administrations but this one is characteristically worse beyond compare.
hahahaha Mr funny
Blatant LIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know for a fact that’s a lie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are the one hiring and firing in every single ministry; the public service. And if someone close to you or close to one of your friends, wants a job, all they have to do is let you know, and what do you do…..get them in. I was told many a times by persons in the ministry just go to Skerrit and you will get the job!!!!!
EVERY DOMINICAN KNOW THAT’S HOW IT WORKS….
We all know thats a lie
Big Time
IF this is not the case , why are so many teachers (all laborites) teaching under the NEP programme? If this is the case why are college lecturers teaching under the NEP programme? Random people serving the role of teachers should not be employed under the NEP Programme. There are many teachers who are in training at the DSC and these should be first choice to serve as interns in the education system.
I have also seen many good teachers left the DSC because of an overcrowding of NEP lecturers who assume their roles. There is a President at the DSC who holds firm to office despite what he does and says and all of no substance or value . PM I Love you but please dont sound like Trump.
Is this rant in response to the NEP workers who are sent here,there and everywhere….Is this the only way those blithering idiots in the DLP know to create employment…If I buy a doctorate
somewhere, that’s is not surprising….But THUMBS UP to DAT,and Ms Celia Nicholas et al, for coming out,,,,,AS LATE AS IT MAY BE!!!
Oh boy! Here goes( %) that empty barrel again.
I\’d rather have an empty barrel than mister. My barrel holds water – Mister is pure AIR.
Why don’t u just put your opinion and mouth in park for a minute
Always Assertive!
NEP- NEVER ENDING POVERTY