The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Democratic National Alliance yesterday promised to overhaul the country’s public service sector if elected to office, highlighting the proposed abolition of the sector’s General Orders and a “strengthening” of the Public Service Commission as “vital” to establishing an “efficient” civil service.

DNA Finance and Economy spokesperson Youri Kemp, during a press conference yesterday, said the “overlapping legislation, rules and regulations” currently contained in the General Orders - the handbook used to guide the administration of the public service - leads to “incoherent and unenforceable rules and practices” which gives them the appearance of being “arbitrary from time to time.”

Mr Kemp said the “incoherence” of the General Orders are further highlighted when stacked up against the country’s labour, public service and industrial relations laws, all of which, he said, may be contravened via the administration and/or execution of the General Orders. Additionally, Mr Kemp noted that the general orders are not legislation “but is used as if is a legislative tool or empowered by legislative tools.”

Regarding the Public Service Commission (PSC), Mr Kemp said the party is of the view that the “efficacy” of the PSC’s administrative purview is questionable, such that its input on the disciplining of management and the enforcement of procedures intended to mitigate the contravention of established law is “mute at best.”

Mr Kemp also said that there is “too much unnecessary power” centred in Parliament on public service, especially considering how “parliaments have a five-year term limit and the public service is continuous.”

Thus, Mr Kemp said the third party is proposing to “abolish” the public service General Orders and allow for union stakeholders, along with a “DNA select committee,” to craft a “modern, up to date” public services handbook that does not contravene established laws.

Regarding the PSC, Mr Kemp said the DNA is proposing to give it “greater independence” by removing the position of public service commissioner out of the interference of the administration of the day by mandating a “mandatory minimum and earmark for the (PSC) to be irrevocably set aside every budget cycle.”

Mr Kemp also said the DNA will make the PSC a “statutory elected office” with no less than five elected commissioners, thus allowing it to serve a “broader purpose within our governmental agencies.”

The DNA’s proposals are outlined in an 18-page long white paper titled “Public Service Reform: The Programme for Public Service Reassurance 2017.”

The white paper also highlights the need for the revision of the compensation structure within the public service sector, which Mr Kemp said should be based on performance indicators and performance based appraisal mechanisms; the creation of sound job descriptions and consequent job specifications for all public servants; the provision of “professional hurt counselling” for public servants who are aggrieved on the job; and added focus on training and development opportunities.

“It is without question that a fully functioning, organised, progressive and rewarding career should be afforded to every citizen of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” Mr Kemp said. “This most certainly includes persons that are employed with the public service, because the efforts on behalf of us as citizens, and the majority of us really and truly, are vital to our country’s growth and is vital to our stability and well being.

“The DNA has embarked on what we call this programme for public services reassurance. This programme for public services reassurance seeks to alleviate some of the vexing problems that have been causing some of the most pain and hardships, as well as some of the confusion and consternation in our public services.”