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| The Hon. Fayval Williams. |
Darlene Morrison
It is amazing, unbelievable, and shocking that the headline of a newspaper is about comments being made about a financial secretary, Darlene Morrison, being transferred. There are far more important things that could make the headline, or you are running out of news. A Knox Community College student killing another student at a football match recently is one such example of a potential headline. Your headlines may be killing the paper.
Only a stupid government would move a very competent senior servant heading a section of the service. Unless, of course, the skills of that person are needed in another area.
All organizations, including the GleanerRJR Group, have moved around management staff. Recently, a senior staff member responsible for news was removed from that post at the GleanerRJR Group. I am unable to ascertain if the former head of news is sitting in a corner or a route is being prepared for his way out.
A government must have the freedom to move around the leadership of the civil service. Recently, the financial secretary, Darlene Morrison, was transferred from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to a new Ministry. Her boss was the Hon. Fayval Williams. You cannot elect a government, and that government is forced to work with senior public servants who they are not comfortable with.
There is the possibility that the Financial Secretary cannot get along with the minister, and in that case, one will need to go. If the prime minister is comfortable that the finance minister is carrying out the mandate of the government, then it is the financial secretary who would have to go. The good thing is that the financial secretary still has a job. It would be interesting to know if a new government is elected, the former Financial Secretary would get back her post.
The fact that the opposition party questioned the change in staff could indicate that the PNP has an interest in that individual. The PNP should not comment on such matters because that could mean the former financial secretary will be labelled as a PNP, and that could mean the end of her career in the public service.
Public servants should not discuss political matters, whether verbally or in the digital fora. Public servants should be careful of their relationships with politicians. Such a servant could be seen as leaking information to the opposition. At all times, senior public servants must have the confidence of the political directorate, or else they will not last.
It is not easy to fire civil servants, but people have ways and means to frustrate you and make your life a living hell. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
Public servants who have been removed from their posts and transferred to other posts should not discuss the matter with the media or other people who will use the information against the government.
There is a new government in place. We just have to allow the government to function until a new government is elected. Citizens have a right to question their government, though.
I notice not only the newspaper headlines but a barrage of nasty social media posts targeting the prime minister and the government. This might end up giving the Prime Minister more recognition and power. Publicise what our political leaders are doing wrong, and come up with better and superior ideas that the people will see as good for our country.
This is advice to all civil servants: Do your best because you are not only serving the government but also the people of Jamaica. If the political leaders want you to do something that is wrong, then find some way to get the information out. There are many ways to skin a cat. If they want to transfer you, then go with it. You don't own your position.
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I hear you. What if the Civil Servant is offering good advice that is important and protects Jamaica and yet the Minister rejects it?
ReplyDeleteRegardless of how you put it, the politician is responsible for policy, and the civil servant for operational matters. The public servant can always request that the directive given by a minister be given in writing. Many things that public servants do are guided by laws, so they just need to follow the law. When both the minister and the permanent secretary has major disagreements, then one has to go, and more than likely it will be the public servant who will have to go.
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