Some public servants not pulling their weight – PM

Although some may be guilty of not pulling their weight, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says that he is overall pleased with the performance of the public service.{{more}}

Gonsalves, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day meeting of Regional Cabinet Secretaries and Heads of Public Service said that while there were procedures within the public service designed for accountability, one of the issues which needed to be addressed was the cause for some civil servants not to want to “pull their weight.”

He referred to this group as a minority, but said that the issue needed to be addressed, particularly in these challenging times.

“We know that there are some that don’t pull their weight and invariably, it’s the most inefficient and those not endowed with a work ethic. Those are the ones who tend to also be the most mischievous,” the prime minister said.

According to Gonsalves, as soon as a piece of paper reaches that type of public servant’s desk and they feel it is something that can aid them in obtaining a future promotion, because they cannot get the promotion on the basis of merit, they try to get it on the basis of political merit.

“They run with it to somebody engaged in politics to put some political credits in the bank for when, in their opinion, a new dispensation arises and their redemption would be at hand,” he said.

“Well it doesn’t really happen like that; it’s all in your head and very soon when you get the office and you have no capacity, everybody finds out and then all it does is hasten the demise of those who had put square pegs in round holes,” Gonsalves continued.

However, long gone were the days of political heads such as Grenadian Eric Gairy who terrorized public servants, but according to Gonsalves, governments needed to ensure that there was no undermining taking place.

“And I will say that is the tiniest of minorities in this country – civil servants do a good job. Some do not get paid as well as they should, but will do the best they can with the resources that they have,” Gonsalves said. (DD)