Over 50 junior clerks to be appointed into public service

Prime Minister Skerrit. File photo

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that the government will appoint 53 junior clerks into the public service.

He made the announcement during a meeting with public service junior clerks at the Financial Centre on Thursday.

 “Currently there are 53 vacant junior clerk positions…and I will give immediate instructions to the CPO to move to fill these 53 vacancies to allow many of you here to be appointed in the public service,” he said.

He explained that sometimes the reason why one is not appointed in a position, “and you may be there for some time”, is because there is no vacancy.

“Somebody may be on study leave; somebody might be acting in another position…,” Skerrit said, adding that there are all sorts of issues relating to that challenge within the public service.

“I am not saying this to give justification or to pacify your concern, because I am sharing your concerns,” he noted.

According to the prime minister, in 2009, the cabinet created 150 new positions for teachers and 100 positions for nurses, because there were nurses working and acting in a non-established capacity because there were no vacancies. He said positions were created so that persons could be appointed into those positions.

“We also created a number of positions within the public service, the administration of the public service, to create the opportunity for you to be permanently established.”

DPSU General Secretary, Thomas Letang has described the prime minister’s meeting with the junior clerks which was called on the same day that a DPSU “salary negotiation” rally was being held, as a political ploy. He advised public officers not to attend such future meetings with the prime minister “because the Prime Minister has absolutely no right to discuss conditions of employment with employees; the union is the only one so entitled.”

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47 Comments

  1. Karl Orndem
    April 15, 2019

    hoorayyy!!!!! 3 cheers for Papa Skerro!!! Horrayyy!!!. miraculously, positions opening up. people getting appointed all of a sudden, roads fixing, house building and giving for free boy look good timei n the country. NEP making ding dang, hotel building. But the man on the street have it worse than ever. The country have to get worse, before it can get better. remember i tell all you that. The wool has been pulled over the eyes of many, but many are waking up. The next elections will be so interesting. Many will laugh, many will cry. Which side will you be on? Stay tuned!

  2. April 14, 2019

    As the election gets
    closer, the Poli-tricks will be more plentiful. The voters have to be astute enough to evaluate the political players, and determine who can deliver Performances and who can only deliver Promises.

  3. Ibo France
    April 14, 2019

    Mr. Sherrit has done generational harm to Dominica with his self-serving policies of personal profit. He is single-mindedly focused on staying in power to enrich himself for life. In trying to accomplish his lofty goal, he has manipulated and corrupted every aspect of government by appointing his loyal soldiers, in key positions, throughout the civil service to the detriment of the entire country. Generations of Dominicans, yet unborn, will suffer the harmful consequences of Sherrit’s greed, selfishness and egotistical ways.

    • dee
      April 14, 2019

      How Pathetic can Mister be nah
      exposing himself like that nah ?
      suddenly there are 53 vacancies , what happened, these positions became vacant because all 53 employees left enmass , just resigned or were fired ?
      Now you just showing that You could have taken that same decision , if you wanted to, years ago .
      Now we must ask why didn’t you, all along if the buck stops with you ?
      Is it that you are really as wicked as some people claim ?
      it appears so to me .
      53 you making , no questions asked , jus appearing by magic .
      Man you exposing your behine in trying to be smart .
      are these 53 able to claim a back pay that they may well have deserved a long while back . Man look trouble you creating dere wee .If I was one of those workers, you would personally have serious questions to answer me ein .

  4. Jayson
    April 14, 2019

    Same thing he said before the last election. People still haven’t been appointed.
    Why are Dominicans so gullible?!!

  5. Braindamage
    April 14, 2019

    “There are 53 positions available for appointments now.
    I am going to instruct the CPO to fill in these vacancies now, now, now, now and no dog barks”
    Your disappointment is awaiting you sir. All dogs must bark.

  6. Channel 1
    April 13, 2019

    “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!” (Sir Walter Scott)

    Just the other day, mouthpieces of Roosevelt were bawling about how Trump was meeting with certain CARICOM leaders who were not authorized to be representing CARICOM (even though these leaders said they were representing their respective sovereign islands and not CARICOM).

    One would have be a fool of the highest order to think Skerrit and his sycophants actually practice what they preach.

    Skerrit instead of meeting with the entity responsible for & AUTHORIZED to represent public servants in Dominica, disrespectfully bypasses that very same entity to go and hold vacuous discussions with some non-established public service workers.

    Oh the irony, oh the bold-faced hypocrisy of dat man & his clique.

    #brazenhypocrites

  7. L power
    April 13, 2019

    You can appoint me, but you can never get my vote, NEVER!

    • RandyX
      April 14, 2019

      That’s the spirit!! Take all his presents for the time being but don’t give him your vote. Skerrit is finished he outstayed his welcome!

      • LANGSAL
        April 14, 2019

        THE PRESENTS ARE STATE FUNDED, NOT HIS

  8. LifeandDeath
    April 13, 2019

    WTF was the roll call about ? A real leader don’t attempt to instill fear. Those are traits of a real Dictator.
    The Public Service administration needs a real overhaul, why don’t this thing work the way it was designed to? Do Appraisals and promote people accordingly.
    Why is the Prime Minister involved in recommending appointments? Every opportunity Skerrit sees to appear like a Hero, he dives down like a real Malfini. Skerrit go do your work as Prime Minister. You always distracted with sith!!
    Letang keep your foot on their necks. thes ppl have been incompewtent for too long and Dominicans are ready for change. Go do something else. You all acting like your parents died and leave the country to you.

  9. viewsexpressed
    April 13, 2019

    GMy God, this clown is exceptionally desperate. Since when appointment of new staff within the government is highlighted like this? Skerrit has nothing of substance to tell and show the people of Dominica as this failed PM goes on with a script prepared for him by his corked surrogates and next thing Skerrit will come up with is that I sent the government truck to distribute 20 toilet papers to every home on the island and that all assests will be taken care of. What a calamity and a bike by this failed political clown. Do, y people understand how dangerous and scared Skerrit is, that he will lose the next general election? His failure, he Skerrit has brought upon himself. He took this office as a playboy games and when yo have young inexperienced men still at play with their marbles, what else can the handle but play hopscotch with those blind so called friends and advisors he has running about the place ith him, while the country continues to deteriorates daily. Skerrit, His wife Go

  10. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    April 13, 2019

    The man talk so much nonsense it is no longer funny: My former wife was employed in the ministry of agriculture in Antigua as a typists,(as a none established worker) with only typing skills from school, within six months she was appointed.

    After that they kept moving her, from ministry to different ministries until she was sent to the Treasury, after working in the post office.

    She worked her way up in the treasury learned everything by the time she was victimized by the Birds, she was the number three executive in the treasury.

    After six months, or a year in any government; job, a non-established worker should be appointed to the position in which they serve, and that is as long as they went through the public service commission to get the job.

    If they were held by the hand by a politician and told the department head to give them a job; that would be considered a political job; appointment should not apply in such a case.

  11. Ibo France
    April 13, 2019

    This is antiquated politics at its worst. Ignore the people’s pain, suffering, misery, cries, hunger for 4 plus years, then pacify them with an election gift at midnight of a pending election. Tired of the tomfoolery. Sorry to blame Tom. Tired of the Skerritfoolery.

  12. Ggggghhhhh
    April 13, 2019

    Too little too late Mr. PM

  13. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    April 13, 2019

    “He explained that sometimes the reason why one is not appointed in a position, “and you may be there for some time”, is because there is no vacancy. “(Roosevelt Skerrit).  

    I keep saying something is very wrong with that boy Roosevelt; you all don’t believe me; nevertheless, it’s obvious that this chap Roosevelt claims to be an English Major, taught English in a two year college in Dominica not having a degree in anything seems to believe in his delusional state, that only he is fluent in the English language.

    He seems to believe there are no analethical mind reading the nonsense he speaks in the quote.

    One does not even have to analyze, or use deductive reasoning to come to a conclusion the man is simply mad, talking out of his mind!

    If you have more than fifty people substituting, or working in a position for years, how can there be no vacancy; if the position was not vacant why are they in the position for years not appointed?

  14. Zafant Jesi
    April 13, 2019

    So really and truly all what people saying is true then? That you micro managing the public service, you control all the government Ministers. Unless you speak no one moves. So you refused to appoint public servants in vacant posts for all these years while those acting in them were deprived of the benefits that come with it,…increased salary, gratuity etc. So is now you want to posture with your “.. I will give immediate instructions to the CPO to move to fill these 53 vacancies to allow many of you here to be appointed in the public service…..,” Unless you spoke or in your own words, ALLOW it, they would never be appointed? You control the Chief Personnel Officer and the Civil Service Commission? which is a body of several persons who have the power and ability to take decisions based on merit and fairness? You have been controlling them all along in your quest to micro manage the public service? The worse hurricane to hit Dominica was not Erika or Maria, it was you PM

  15. Zafant Jesi
    April 13, 2019

    So really and truly all what people saying is true then? That you micro managing the public service, you control all the government Ministers. Unless you speak no one moves. So you refused to appoint public servants in vacant posts for all these years while those acting in them were deprived of the benefits that come with it,…increased salary, gratuity etc. So is now you want to posture with your “.. I will give immediate instructions to the CPO to move to fill these 53 vacancies to allow many of you here to be appointed in the public service…..,” Unless you spoke or in your own words, ALLOW it, they would never be appointed? You control the Chief Personnel Officer and the Civil Service Commission? which is a body of several persons who have the power and ability to take decisions based on merit and fairness? You have been controlling them all along in your quest to micro manage the public service? The worse hurricane to hit Dominica was not Irma or Maria, it was you PM

  16. Bwa-Banday
    April 13, 2019

    Skerro you have failed miserably and a serious beating awaits you at the polls this time around. You are indeed a cunning politician but messing with the wrong set of people (DPSU). Because of your arrogance you lost all three seats in our economic hub (Roseau) last election. You also caused us to lost 30% of our GDP by treating ROSS as your step child that needed to be ignored when it mattered most. Now you are trying to fool and intimidate junior clerks?

    Partner OUT you go. We already have your B-A-L-L-S in our hands and will ensure your D-O-N-K-E-Y gets out of office unless ALL the demands of the union are met even if we have to call a massive S-T-R-I-K-E. PERIOD! REAL CHANGE and respect are what we want!

  17. S Crawford
    April 13, 2019

    What a great PM we have. Nothing he does is done in halfs, he is not a single Doctor but a double one, he has not got one diplomatic passport but he has two and to make even more exiting each of them has a different birth day. Why does the double doctor need 2 passports with different birthdays?? I leave that for all of you to answer. I personally think, and I always thought so, Mister is hiding things from us and he has done so for years!

  18. HI FIVE
    April 13, 2019

    Any dumb will see why Skerrit is a master manipulator. If those juniors had any…..they would boycott that meeting. The PM is doing that for votes and his supporters fully well know. Look out for more meetings and promises as time goes by. It is election season….strategy my brothers and sisters

  19. Fair lady
    April 13, 2019

    Time For Change Skerrit Must Goooooooo

  20. truthbtold
    April 13, 2019

    desperate times call for desperate actions!

  21. No name
    April 13, 2019

    Boy boy boy, elections really round the corner. So long some of them working and they were not appointed, now you want them to vote for you so you talking about appointment. Well well Skeritt

  22. Dave Pritchard
    April 13, 2019

    This man is just unbelievable! How can anybody take him seriously. What a Scharlatan! And of course it does say much about the people that keep on voting for him.

  23. Gallileo
    April 13, 2019

    In all honesty I believe that you intended to be a good leader, but you have lost your way sir. A good leader is forward thinking and proactive, not just reactive. I have noticed for years that you allow stuff to fall to the ground and when people start crying foul, you rush in to fix it. This is angering the people as they figure out you are playing them for fools.
    If you want to win the next election change stuff now. Start with stopping the nepotism. Get involved with the situation at Dowasco where unqualified people are taken into the company and promoted ahead of qualified persons who have been at the company for years. All of these things are affecting your chances of being reelected, as the victims of this behavior are voters and have family who love them and who are also voters. Pwen guard.

    • viewsexpressed
      April 15, 2019

      Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that the government will appoint 53 junior clerks into the public service.”. LOL…LOL…LOL….LOL…Madness is Gladness.
      Where was Skerrit all these 19 years and why now….? What hypocrisy. Hon Linton and his trusted UWP Team, have Skerrit running all over the place like a puppy keeps turning round and round chasing its tail. Well, Skerrit is out chasing his position that is to become an end so soon, that he will jump high and fall hard That will be the end of Skerrit running this Dominica. This will not happen again. Skerrit you are failure. You must Go. Read the message and hear our voices, You must Go, Get out of government you have been this dangerous leader and you exit you have nothing of substance or quality ro show for it, ony ye Bin Bool and the Fertilizer BoBOL and to add injury to pain, the Red Clinic,, were to us these poor women , from poor ailing families have to que up at you office at the Financial Centre,

  24. Too late
    April 13, 2019

    Was inspector mills , the ssu, njic, and the new 30 man security force present at that dpsu meeting?

  25. Neville
    April 13, 2019

    …and more election propaganda by this rogue PM. He has no regard for established processes. The man does as he pleases.

  26. April 13, 2019

    But sir. You out of place. From my reading. The PM never talk about conditions.

  27. What you want?
    April 12, 2019

    You remember that little chorus we use to sing in church? Here is a new version to as it applies to Dominica.
    Skerrit is on the main line tell him what you want, tell him him what you want right now. Some say they want NIke, others say a scooter, but I want Jumbee money, because Jesus is my Lord

  28. Jumbee money
    April 12, 2019

    Just watch the man’s face and you will understand who we have leading the country and will understand why everything he builds falling down. Dominica is reversing under Skerrit; every country moving forward but we taking 20 steps backwards every second the clock clicks . Under Roosevelt Skerrit Dominica can never go forward and we better becareful because hurricane season is less than two months away . You see that Ahab and …….. all you have running things there? I vex man because Dominica is badly destroyed by Skerrit and Jumbee money. Those Jumbeez will come for their money boy.

  29. Kate
    April 12, 2019

    It is so sad that this guy has to be beaten into submission like he is in a WWF TV match to do the right and decent thing. This guy is from a poor village but power has really taken over him. If Dominicans vote for this joker again then wo-be on to them. Very sad.

  30. Iamanidiot
    April 12, 2019

    Another election gimmick, but what about the junionr clerks that there for 12 years? and getnnot get a senior post? because no bother over them retiring? they all coming back on contraact?

  31. Langue Kabwit
    April 12, 2019

    The Prime Minister must realise that he is not the only person who studied psychology, why didn’t he call that meeting before and these 53 positions didn’t just surface overnight. You can fool some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time. The empty positions are not a gift from him, they were created because some retired, promoted, migrated and even died etc.

  32. ??
    April 12, 2019

    Thomas Latang is not worth his salt. Total waste of time.

    • Ibo France
      April 13, 2019

      Why is he a total waste of time? For fighting to bring economic and social relief to a badly battered civil service? If this were a caring and competent government that puts people first and not themselves, Mr. Letang’s job would have been a complete waste of time indeed.

    • viewsexpressed
      April 15, 2019

      Gallileo, Skerrit is just not mature enough to comprehend the advice you are offering, let alone to be an enough to look at the merits of what you are offering. Skerrit is far gone and those who got him there will soon run away, because I feel they have taken advantage of his weakness and nonsense talk. Again, please be advised that Skerrit has not and never had that credibility and knowledge to be head of any state, especially this Domenica he and his corrupt Labour government has crippled and handicapped. Well done Thomas Letang. Go for it, rally your members. yo know e consider this man Skerrit a highly inept, failed Odd Minister. Skerrit must Go. Get Out.

  33. Gouvelma
    April 12, 2019

    Did those vacancies arise last night? No. They are all as a result of your government failure to appoint people when these vacancies arose. The were not filled because your government is financially bankrupt. Now that elections are around and people are showing their disapproval with your government you are dangling appointment over their heads. Can you tell us what financial benefits will come with those appointment? Unbelievable but true, teachers are not making $2000.00 monthly. Nurses are in no better position. So when you shout out that they will be appointed you should also tell the public service that a raise in the pitons they are paid is coming. Take Dominica out of the misery that you have kept it for so long. Walk away and let Dominica breathe.

  34. PENNY
    April 12, 2019

    Mr letang is so right. Now double doctor wants to run and appoint people. In my neck of the woods unions stand up for their workers all the time. That’s what we pay unions dues for. You think you can control the whole of Dominica. Let the people stand up for what they deserve. You making it rain money all over the country. Giving all kind of lazy people money but don’t see it fit to give the hard working people of DA an Increase.

  35. Ibo France
    April 12, 2019

    Sherrit is a desperate man. He will even prostitute himself to retain power. People, if there is no real or sustained economic growth, the population will continue to experience hardship and misery. Look out, be skeptical of Greeks bearing gifts. Don’t allow this blatant ELECTION PLOY to work. You have suffered for nineteen consecutive years, vote this dictatorship out and bring an end to corruption, joblessness, starvation wages and gross dysfunction in the public service. Don’t fall anymore for this election gimmick. Vote them out!

  36. Maybe
    April 12, 2019

    Quick quack eba that’s for us not to look for more pay pm you dreaming skerrit and his cabal need to go enough is enough

  37. DPSU strong
    April 12, 2019

    Therein lies the wickedness in these human beings, who think they are ruling other human beings in DA. The issue of appointment of Public Officers have been the concern of DPSU and the workers themselves for a long time. The Nurses have been raising their concerns re. work conditions and other issues, as well, The Cabal has no respect for people.

    These politicians come, meet civil servants working for 10, 20, 30, Years, magwe sa, and they have become filthy rich, while Civil servants have become poorer and poorer. These workers have allowed themselves to be used like yo-yos, although they may be better trained and more knowledgeable of certain aspects of Development.

    Another of Skerritt’s Divide and Rule , have-you-begging, vindictive, arrogant, disrespectful ways. Why was Skerritt silent on these issues until now? is it to victimize junior Public Officers, Fool, to prevent them from going to their DPSU function? Can’t fool the people all the time.

  38. %
    April 12, 2019

    You seem to be trembling quite a lot this time around.. You could even be urinating in your brief too, because you are smelling defeat at the polls. I wonder when you will surface our roads with gold. It’s only a wicked, satanic and evil leader who will do and promise all these goodies once in five years..Four and three quarters years of insults, travelling to God knows where, then Satan’s guile and trickery at election time,but you shall go this time!!!!
    Wicked!!!!!!! Inveterate liar!!!
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

    • Ibo France
      April 13, 2019

      This post has truth written all over it. Accurate description of what is presenting taking place.

  39. Da massive
    April 12, 2019

    Skerrit is not a leader. He only act when someone prompts him to act. Whether it is Lenox Linton, Thomas Letang or other, when they speak, Skerrit acts.

  40. Anon
    April 12, 2019

    Lol all of a sudden there are 53 vacant positions, and people are being appointed. Lmaoooo… The pressure must be real.

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