Let’s suspend security of tenure now

After 47 years of Jamaica’s Independence, it is more than obvious that we have not done a good job at managing our affairs. Jamaica is badly adrift and is on the verge of becoming a failed or rogue state.

Saving our country requires strong leadership and an urgent overhaul of the public bureau-cracy, which has failed at its job to effectively manage the country’s business and deliver first-rate services. The public sector needs an infusion of talent.

Public-service employment arrangements, inherited from less complex economic times, make it difficult to import talent into the bureaucracy or to remove employees, except for the most egregious misbehaviour.

Given Jamaica’s crisis, we must declare a period of public emergency, allowing for the suspension of security of tenure for civil servants as well as an impartial assessment of the people now employed and the jobs they perform.

Part of a revolution

The bottom line is that public-sector reform must not merely be an accounting exercise for dealing with immediate fiscal problems. It is part of a revolution.

The best talent, regardless of political antecedent, must be employed to do the job.

Concomitant with the over-haul of the public sector, Government, in consultation with the private enterprise and civil society, must establish policy priorities for creating the environment conducive to social stability, economic growth and job creation.

We must demand action from the Government and hold them accountable for performance.

Similarly, the political execu-tive must retreat from its generally incompetent dabbling in bureaucratic management, leaving that job to those for whom it is intended – the public servant. The politicians must do their own job of establishing policy and holding public service managers accountable for theirs.

In this rebuilding, Prime Minister Golding must assume the role of mobiliser-in-chief, exciting Jamaicans into wanting to be part of the renewal, rather than fleeing the country.

Tough challenges

This revolution will, of course, face tough challenges, including many that require political consensus. Some of these include legislative changes to further modernise the economy, fight corruption and improve security and justice.

It is Mr Golding’s job, as prime minister, to lead this process. It is, however, neither his nor the ruling party’s alone.

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) must behave responsibly. Its own long, ineffectual period in government contributed to Jamaica’s decline. The PNP’s leadership has an obligation to contribute to the fix. They must be clear that they will be held to account if they are obstructionist.

Political parties and their leaders must no longer be allowed to manipulate poor, uneducated Jamaicans, whose votes they perennially milk for the advantage of the political class. A rejuvenated and newly assertive private sector and civil society must be vigilant and willing to speak out.

Tags: bureaucracy, call to action, crime, economic, economy, independence, Jamaica, JLP, management, national security, politicians, poor performance, public sector, social