| PM to Civil Servants: Political Affiliation Will Not Save You |
| By Teshell Samuel |
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Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas |
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Civil servants involved in contravening work practices under the assumed protection of political affiliation are being warned to abide by the terms of their employment or risk joining the breadline. “To those who are working a second job and using government time to do a second job and getting full pay of the government, that has to come to an end and that is what we mean when we say continuing to reform the civil service,” Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas warned on Tuesday (Jan 31).
Dr. Douglas, St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Leader, issued the stern warning on during his radio program, Ask the PM, stating that unscrupulous practices and attitudes of government workers will no longer be tolerated regardless of their political connections.
“I am not going to hide anyone under the cloak of the Labour Party,” he said. “The Labour Party as a political party has done its very best to ensure that its supporters as well as other citizens are provided opportunities for employment. I believe in giving people chances and opportunities but it is up to you to maintain it. If you fail because of your attitude and poor performance then you should go, it’s as simple as that,” he stated.
This is the second notice that civil servants have been given within a month’s period, the first being issued in December of 2011 during the Prime Minister’s monthly press conference. The PM explained that complaints of absenteeism, lateness and poor performance by workers were constantly being reported via the various Ministry departments and he called for civil servants to make the necessary improvements. He said that the government was not receiving its value in service for its money and that changes would be made.
The issue of civil servants’ performance has also been given greater focus in light of recommendations made by the IMF towards structural reform of the civil service. Dr. Douglas informed that the reformation of the service will reduce costs incurred through improper work ethics. The PM said the move towards reform is to encourage workers to perform better; termination, he said, would be a last resort.
“Far from thinking that we are sending home civil servants as part the new economic policy we are following; that’s not what it is. We are demanding that public servants work; that they give the government the eight hours a day that they are being paid for,” the Prime Minister said in reference to rationalizing the civil service and capping and reducing the public wage bill.
Government office workers are not the only public servants to be put on notice about work ethics and having second jobs. In September of 2011 Commissioner of Police CG Walwyn was criticized by the public and members of the police force for his strict enforcement of the ‘no second job’ policy for officers.
He said that until the rules were changed allowing police officers to hold second jobs while off duty, officers would be expected to follow the guidelines that were already in effect.
“….You’re a police officer. You can’t decide which rules you want to follow. If you want to go out and break the rules you can’t go after the man who chose to run a stop sign because he chose to not obey that law. If you’re going to enforce rules you’ve got to follow them yourself,” the CoP admonished. |
