Gov’t Finalising Public Sector Transformation Plan

Finance and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, says a comprehensive public sector transformation plan is being finalised for tabling in the Houses of Parliament.

He said the document, which is being prepared by the Public Sector Transformation Implementation Unit, will provide full details of the State entities to be divested, merged, subsumed into Central Government or closed.  Eighty-four entities have already been identified for the exercise.

Mr. Shaw said the Unit has prepared a draft but “it is not at the stage (where) I can table it in Parliament as yet”.

He was responding to questions from Central Kingston Member of Parliament, Rev. Ronald Thwaites, during Tuesday’s (September 26) sitting of the House of Representatives at Gordon House.

Mr. Shaw said the Government is developing project plans for the entities identified under the transformation programme, which would centre on public-sector efficiency and an information and communications technology infrastructure.

He advised that procedures are also under way for the introduction of shared corporate services, while implementation of an operating model that has been developed for shared legal services has commenced.

The Minister said operating models have also been developed for each of the other proposed shared areas. These include human resources management, finance and accounts, asset management, procurement, information technology services, and public relations and communications.

Mr. Shaw advised that work is advanced on four entities identified for the transformation exercise, for which he has portfolio responsibility.

Caymanas Track Limited has been divested to Supreme Ventures Limited, while work is under way to merge the operations of the three gaming regulatory bodies – the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission; Jamaica Racing Commission; and Casino Gaming Commission – to form the proposed Jamaica Gaming Commission.

“We (took) steps to move the offices of the Jamaica Racing Commission and Casino Gaming Commission (and) they are all now housed at the head office of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (on Hagley Park Road in Kingston),” he informed.

On the brink of merger are the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning; HEART Trust/NTA, National Youth Service (NYS), and the Apprenticeship Board, which will form one entity, as well as the Child Development Agency and Office of the Children’s Registry.

Mr. Shaw advised that three companies owned by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) have been shortlisted for closure. They are the Montego Bay Shopping Centre, Portmore Commercial Centre, and Kingston Waterfront Redevelopment Company.

Meanwhile, he reminded members that the Pension Reform Bill that was passed in the Lower House is now before the Senate and that the Ministry has established a Working Group to facilitate discussions with unions regarding certain “administrative matters” relating to management of the pension programme.

Mr. Shaw advised that the overall public sector transformation programme “is going to be a process that will take place over a two- to three-year period”.