Prove that you are not a twisted talker and staller!

17.AUG.07

Editor: I read with interest and surprise comments attributed to the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Mr. Nathaniel Williams.

Editor, in the Searchlight of Friday, August 3rd, 2007, Searchlight’s journalist Kirby Jackson in a story captioned “Crisis Looms” quoted the (AG) P.S as saying “….that P.S Shirla Francis did her best and had good intentions, contrary to the Unions’ perceptions.”{{more}} This appears to be in response to the noted fact that PS Francis and the Ministry of the Public Service failed to co-operate with the unions and did little or nothing to advance the Reclassification Exercise.

The question I want to ask is, was Mr. Williams misquoted? Is it the same PS Williams who lamented that he wondered what was done on the project by the former boss? Is it the same Williams who told a meeting on 31st July 2007 that he did not get any minutes of the meeting held in April and he apologized for coming to the Steering Committee meeting empty handed, but he was provided with nothing? Mr. Jackson, is it the PS who decried that he was not even given a handing-over, and document which he was told was not there at the Ministry, he later found?

Sir/Madam, I found the comments not only honest but very straight forward and transparent Permanent Secretary Style.

Let me make it abundantly clear, Otto does not and did not expect PS Williams to criticize the former head of his ministry publicly, but to make the comments attributed to him is most unfortunate especially when he speaks of winning the Union’s confidence.

Does Mr. Williams remember why he was whisked from a meeting in the Americas and promoted to (AG) PS Public Service? Was it because the former PS was doing her “best” and had “good intentions”? Indeed, the Prime Minister himself and several top public servants had a full dose of those good intentions and best doings. The PM and his team were given a triple serving of the disdain, indifference, contempt, stubbornness, and foolhardiness that the SVGTU and the unions generally spoke about. None of them could have believed their ears and eyes, hence, a tap on the wrist for the PS and promotion to another ministry as a front line worker.

I am aware that most senior public servants appear to have the strongest Union in town -’Clique care’. They cover each others ‘donkeys and backs’, hold real unions, governments and John Public to ransom and operate like the wild, wild west. But while I believe that it is their right to so do, Mr. Nathaniel Williams PS, is or was held high by most people. Hence, I want to urge the brother to not compromise his real being and commit himself to crooked straight forwardness and dark transparency.

My brother, the interest of all parties is to see the completion of the Reclassification Exercise in a manner that is both expeditious and fair. Let us have it done. Prove to everyone that you are not a twisted talker and staller! Let’s move to completion, implementation and the truth. I still hope that you were misquoted!

Otto Sam

Editor’s note: Mr. Williams was not misquoted.