Given the country’s rapid economic development, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on Monday said it is critical that public sector workers at the management level are trained well and act in accordance with the responsibilities of their profession.
He was speaking at the opening of a two-day personnel practitioners workshop which is being held under the theme “Strengthening the Public Service through Human Resource Management.”
Addressing the gathering at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, the Prime Minister said that with Guyana’s growing economy, the public service must be able to manage the growth.
The training workshop has returned after a three-year hiatus and according to the Prime Minister, it is crucial that workers are trained to deliver services required for the overall development of the nation.
“What do you do in the public service? You deliver public goods and services.
“In the professional development of public service employees, it is vital to build the capabilities, enhancing performance and preparing them for future challenges,” the Prime Minister said.
It is no secret that complaints are constantly made about the professionalism of the public sector.
The Prime Minister said the performance issue must be nipped in the bud from the managerial level. He suggested that performance reports, holding employees accountable and ensuring that workers deliver on their daily tasks, can assist with improving the services offered by these agencies and organisations.
“Rewards don’t have to be a 10 per cent or 20 per cent in salary only, [it can be] opportunities for further training, represent us at this conference.
“Providing opportunities for growth and advancement and improvement in knowledge transfers are vital for future-proofing the organisations and minimizing disruptions during leadership transitions,” the Prime Minister said.
Personnel working at different government agencies are responsible for the recruitment, management and efficiency in the delivery of services at that agency.
In many instances, these senior personnel are tasked with finding the workers for specific projects to be done at government agencies and according to Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, it is no easy feat.
She explained that in many instances the staff are juggling multiple tasks at once while managing their personal lives. The Minister urged the employees to be analytical thinkers when carrying out any objective to ensure the best possible result.
“Not because you have ten [open spots] you have to fill ten. You fill enough to carry out your mandate.
“If you have 20 people, examine that unit and see how many people in that unit is carrying the weight of that unit, how many persons are efficiently carrying the weight to carry out that mandate,” Minister Parag said.
Minister Parag also said that the Ministry has strict policies that ensures that workers are properly entered into the system.
She said that in ensuring that positions are filled at different agencies, the Ministry relies heavily on the personnel department.
