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Priorities Being Implemented to Transform Public Sector

By: , January 6, 2017

The Key Point:

This is according to Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who said his Government is committed to providing the leadership in the transformation of the sector.
Priorities Being Implemented to Transform Public Sector
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (fourth left), with (from left) Chair of the Public Sector Transformation Oversight Committee, Danny Roberts; Vice Chair of the Economic Growth Council, Ambassador Nigel Clarke; Executive Director of the Public Sector Transformation Implementation Team, Maria Thompson Walters; and state ministers in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams and Hon. Rudyard Spencer, following a meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister on January 5, in which the Prime Minister delivered a policy statement on the public-sector transformation process.

The Facts

  • The team, led by an Executive Director, Maria Thompson Walters, comprises specialists in communication, law and industrial relations.
  • Mr. Holness also said the process is under way for the complete rollout of human resource management software for 14 government agencies by December 2018.

The Full Story

The Government has already started the implementation of priorities in its strategic push towards transforming the public sector for increased efficiency.

This is according to Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who said his Government is committed to providing the leadership in the transformation of the sector.

Delivering a policy statement on the transformation process at the Office of the Prime Minister, today (January 5), Mr. Holness said a Public Sector Transformation Implementation Team has been tasked with actioning the broad priority areas in the process.

The team, led by an Executive Director, Maria Thompson Walters, comprises specialists in communication, law and industrial relations.

The immediate actions, as set out in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies agreement signed in October, will include the implementation of shared corporate services, shared human resource services and a complete review of the classification of all existing bodies, consistent with the public financial-management rules.

The Prime Minister said the Government will also be conducting a compensation review of all ministries, departments and agencies which will be completed by March 2017. Employee censuses for the ministries of finance; health; education, youth and information; and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have already been completed as part of this review.

Mr. Holness also said the process is under way for the complete rollout of human resource management software for 14 government agencies by December 2018.

“Public-sector transformation will be based on focused reform with measurable outcomes that will unfold in many phases, with necessary consultations with stakeholders,” he noted.

The Prime Minister said the transformation process will result in greater levels of efficiency and more support of the private sector, which will redound in economic growth.

“There is an inextricable connection between the efficiency of the public sector and the efficiency of the private sector. They both need each other to thrive. The process that we are envisioning is that the private sector will become the engine of economic growth and job creation and will absorb from the public sector as many relevant skills as possible,” he said.

Mr. Holness, meanwhile, assured the public that the objective of the public-sector transformation process is not to cut jobs, but rather to restructure the sector towards effectiveness.

“As mergers and closures occur and shared services are implemented, there will inevitably be some job displacements, but also there will be opportunities for growth and a more efficient government that delivers more with less and that supports the growth of the users of the service,” he said.

He said the Government will ensure that those affected can have access to retraining and that there is an outplacement system in place that supports the transition into private-sector employment.

Last Updated: January 6, 2017

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