PSRU hosts week of activities

As Sir Vincent Beache addressed the opening of a week of activities staged by the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) he intimated that, although it was a challenge he enjoyed being the Minister, but was resigning from the post.

He was at the time declaring open the week of activities being celebrated under the theme “Productivity and Efficiency for a Developing People from Sunday September 11 – 17. {{more}}

Sir Vincent, who has ministerial responsibility for the public service declared the week open at a press conference held at Cabinet Room on Tuesday September 6, noting that the theme focuses on reducing waste and providing quality service in the government service.

He pointed out that a Performance Management and Development System, (PMDS) would soon be established to reward outstanding ministries and individuals and that it was established as pilot projects in seven areas.

The areas were the Immigration Dept., the Kingstown Public Library, the Electoral Division, Community Nursing, Administration in the Ministry of National Security, the Service Commission Department and four schools, two primary and two secondary. Beache pointed out that customer charters in the family court, immigration dept. and electoral office were also developed.

Sir Vincent announced an incentive scheme for public officers where some $11,000 were commissioned to reward ministries, departments and individual officers.

He pointed out that individual cash prizes of $5,000 for the first place, $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third, with outstanding individuals receiving $1,000 would be paid separate from the Christmas bonus.

He said these prizes would motivate the officers to develop better attitudes and make them feel appreciated. Sir Vincent also noted that surveys would be conducted to determine where the need would be for specific manpower so that more scholarships can be given in those specific areas.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the PSRU, Godfrey Pompey, stressed that the goal of the unit must be continuous. He emphasized that the public sector had a major role in economic development and had to aim to remove the “bottle necks and road blocks” so that performance and productivity in the government service is efficient.

Pompey said that officers must realise that their clients were the taxpayers of this country and were demanding faster, higher quality service.

Director of the PSRU, Jennifer Glasgow-Browne, also announced the various activities planned including radio and television programmes, a field trip to La Soufriere, a sports day, a church service, a staff exchange day, cultural showcase public speaking debate and a PRSU ambassadorial show.

Glasgow-Browne also praised Sir Vincent, the outgoing Minister for his cooperation throughout the three years of the PRSU’s existence and called on public servants to attend the activities, which she said were organized so that officers could fraternise and relax thereby easing workplace tensions.