Committee Established to Deal with Public Sector Master Rationalisation Plan

Cabinet has established a Committee, which will examine the recommendations in the public sector master rationalisation plan, and oversee its implementation.

Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator the Hon. Sandrea Falconer, says Cabinet has acknowledged the “superior” work done by the Public Sector Transformation Unit. She was addressing journalists at the weekly Jamaica House press briefing, at the Office of the Prime Minister, on February 15.

The Committee is chaired by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller. Other members include: Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Dr. Omar Davies; Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites; Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson; Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting; Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding; and Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Douglas Saunders.

Senator Falconer informed that instructions were also given that the Public Sector Transformation Unit (PSTU) continues its work; that the consultative monitoring group, which is headed by Peter Moses, remain in place, and that the data obtained by the PSTU on employment levels and pension eligibility should be shared with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and the Public Service and the Parliamentary Committee examining the Green Paper on pension reform.

The areas of emphasis under the transformation process are: efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability.

Benefits and savings to be derived from the implementation of recommendations include: mergers, transfers, privatization, private-public sector partnerships, shared corporate services, pension reform, strategic human resource management, leave arrangements, and a compensation policy.

By Alphea Saunders, JIS Senior Reporter