Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 17, 2015 (SKNIS): The Government of National Unity in collaboration with the World Bank has embarked upon a project that is intended “to increase the quality of expenditures and public efficiency, and promote a fiscally sustainable and more equitable system of pay and employment to generate the right incentives to improve Public Sector performance,” says Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris.
The prime minister explained that the initiative entitled the Enhanced Public Sector Governance and Efficiency Project will see the modernization of the Public Service and will be guided by the documents produced from it. The documents will include findings of the functional reviews on three line ministries, namely the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, and the Ministry of Education as well as the Human Resource Management Department (HRMD).
He further explained that the document has highlighted the strengths and areas where improvement is necessary to enhance efficacy in service delivery. The prime minister noted that “it will serve to inform similar assessments and reform actions in other Ministries, Departments and Public Agencies over the medium to long term.”
Prime Minister Harris mentioned that “complementary work was undertaken to facilitate the formulation of a new Policy Framework for Public Sector Modernization and Human Resource Management and Action Plan.”
“Work was also done with respect to the conduct of a Payroll Audit, the formulation of a related Action Plan which outlines activities to further improve the payroll system, the development of a Payroll Tool and Remuneration Strategy and Action Plan,” added the prime minister.
It was also mentioned that fifteen public officers from the line ministries and departments, in which the functional reviews were conducted, received training in the development of job descriptions. This was to provide practical experience in the execution of important skills and competencies that would facilitate effective management.
“In addition, a total of eighteen public officers from the Ministry of Finance, specifically the Budget Division and the Accountant General’s Department, the HRMD, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, and the Ministry of Sustainable Development were trained in the operability of the Payroll Tool by the Red Centre Consulting Limited consultancy team.”
The plans were outlined on December 15, 2015, during the 2016 Budget Address.