Williams wants protection for workers

If the delegation of responsibility and disciplinary control in the public service has to be done by the head of a department or Permanent Secretary, there must be mechanisms in place to protect the worker.

This was the view of Cecil “Blazer” Williams, Head of the Public Service and Police Service Commissions, as he addressed the issue of efficiency in the public service and the notion that the time had come to shift from the Public Service Commission to Permanent Secretaries the authority to manage employees below their ranks. {{more}}

Williams’ comments were made at the Methodist Church Hall, on Tuesday, March 28, while he was addressing the inaugural Senior Policy Forum which focused on the topic: “Relevance of the Public Service Commissions (PSC) in the 21st Century.”

And with regard to the situation with appeals and the absence of detailed regulations, he said technically it reduces the extent to which public servants who are affected can pursue their particular appeals although in law there is the process of judicial review of administrative action.

Williams said the current approach of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration to public sector reform has reduced and will reduce further the jurisdictional reach of the Public Service Commission.

He added that if this particular approach to public sector reform continues we may witness the progressive redundancy or irrelevance of the Public Service Commission.

However, he remained confident that “the fact that Public Service Commissions and Police Service Commissions continue to be permanent features of the administrative machinery of most Commonwealth or Non-Commonwealth countries it indicates that they are here in a sense to stay for a very relatively long time.

“Their functions may be modified but they appear to be undone,” said Williams.

Meanwhile, Williams commenting on the issue of fashioning a model of public sector management that will work in St.Vincent and the Grenadines, said Vincentians will have to consider the fact that the constitution provides greater protection against an administration which acts arbitrarily and violates the rights of the citizens.

Prime Minister Gonsalves had introduced Williams as one who comes to the subject with tremendous learning. Williams is trained in Economics, Law, Politics and Administration.