A total of 56 new positions in the Public Service have been provided for in the 2015 Estimates.

The bulk of these positions are at the Ministry of National Security, where, according to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves,{{more}} 36 new positions were established to strengthen further the various arms of the security forces.

As he presented the Estimates to Parliament on December 17, Gonsalves said the Police Department will receive 20 additional constables “to place more boots on the ground to assist in the on-going crime-fighting efforts of this Department.”

Five new prison officer posts have been established to enhance the efficacy of the prison service, as they continue to grapple with the challenge of functioning at three prison sites.

A new position of counsellor has also been included, as part of the effort to improve the rehabilitation work done at the Department; and at the Passport and Immigration Department, a total of nine new immigration officers have been provided for, in preparation for the operation of the international airport at Argyle.

Other ministries and departments that will be provided with new posts include the Ministry of National Mobilization, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the Ministry of National Mobilization etc, six new positions have been established under the Liberty Lodge Boys Training Centre to staff the Care and Protection, and Rehabilitation Centre recently upgraded as part of the OECS Juvenile Justice project and the Social Development Unit. The new posts are: one Social Policy Analyst; one Counsellor; one Social Worker; two Duty Officers and one House Master.

Four new posts have been created within the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to strengthen various departments as follows: In the Budget, Research & Policy Department – one budget analyst; at the Customs and Excise Department – One senior legal officer and at the Inland Revenue Department – two technical assistants.

Within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc, two new Foreign Service officers I and the IT repair services at the ITSD have been strengthened by the addition of two technicians.

At NEMO one Radio Communication officer is budgeted for to enhance the emergency communication service provided by this department.

Other new posts included in the 2015 Estimates are: one audit officer, one case Manager at the Family Court, one assistant secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, two school bus drivers in the Ministry of Transport and one assistant secretary in the Ministry of Housing.