System to Improve Human Resource Processes in Public Sector Being Acquired

The Ministry of Finance and Planning is currently in the process of acquiring a human capital management enterprise system, which will assist in streamlining human resource processes and procedures across the public sector.

Deputy Financial Secretary in charge of the Ministry’s Strategic Human Resource Management Division (SHRMD), Wayne Jones, says efforts to secure the requisite technology to support enhanced management and other improvements to the public sector human resource framework, are “well advanced”.

Speaking at Tuesday’s (September 17) SHRMD organized workforce adjustment and human resource process standardization conference, at the Institute of Jamaica, in downtown Kingston, Mr. Jones informed that a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the technology’s acquisition was issued in August, and that two bidders conferences have been convened to date.

“We are in the process of responding to comments and questions of clarification from prospective bidders. That is being driven by Fiscal Services Limited, our information technology partners,” he outlined.

Mr. Jones explained that the move is intended to ensure that “all of us are doing things (relating to human resource management) the same way, because all of us are supposed to be using the same platform.”

“The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is our financing partner, and things are going well. We are highly confident that we are going to get a robust and effective information technology solution for human capital management in the Jamaican public sector,” he added.

Over 100 public sector human resource directors, managers and officers participated in Tuesday’s conference, which featured presentations on a range of human resource processes earmarked for incorporation in the civil service, and strategic policies being developed within the context of a programme of workforce adjustment and development being pursued within the sector.

Focus areas in the presentations included: redeployment and selection; grievance, and leave entitlements and management; voluntary separation (encompassing training/re-training and early retirement); performance management; succession planning; recruitment and selection, promotions, and transfers; pensions management; and the motor vehicle duty concession process.