The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 40 people who were being paid by the government but could not be placed because of a lack of vacancies in the public sector will be engaged by private companies.

State Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle gave the update in Parliament yesterday, while making her contribution to the 2021/2022 Supplementary Budget debate.

“In recent weeks I have mentioned that there were a number of people that were improperly engaged by the previous government and did not have placements,” she said. “These people were the victims of political hiring gone wrong.

“Unfortunately, it is difficult to accommodate many of them within the public service. However, we are understanding of this situation. It wasn’t at all their fault.

“So, a week ago I reached out to the private sector and so far over 40 of these people will now be working in the private sector.”

The state minister assured the workers that despite their placement outside of the public sector, the government supported them.

Last month, she revealed that 233 people were approved by the former government for employment in July 2021, just two months before the September 16 general election. Of that number, 85 remain un-posted because upon assuming office, an immediate hold was placed on those hires pending a status review.

Mrs Glover-Rolle also told Parliament yesterday a special unit was being formed to look at the backlog of promotions in the service and clear them up.

“While ensuring that we never face a backlog of this magnitude ever again. That is being accomplished under this budget.”

She added: “We are also using the existing budget to accelerate the digitisation of human resources processes and document management across the public service.

“Altogether government recurrent expenditure has increased by $53.3m largely influenced by increases in public service pensions, COVID-19 unemployment benefit assistance and public service promotions and increments to the tune of $19,620,583.

“As minister of state for the public service I am happy to directly and indirectly facilitate these initiatives in any way that I can knowing that the Bahamian people will greatly benefit as this new budget is rolled out,” the minister said.