VIP met a depleted public service with low morale — Premier
Premier Andrew Fahie said when his governing Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration first entered office in 2019, it met the public service in a depleted state with low morale.
Fahie argued on his party’s Let’s Talk radio programme recently that this is something persons need to recognise and insisted that the system needed closer examination.
According to the Premier, his government is working towards a transformation together with the Governor and Deputy Governor, since the public service portfolio falls directly under their remit.
The territory’s leader expressed frustration at the constraints faced by ministers with the public service and said it sometimes takes several months to even hire a messenger in government.
Referring to his government’s intention to hire new ministerial political advisers, the Premier reiterated that his administration has asked for no new monies and noted that their hiring was being done in a targeted manner from monies already allocated.
These monies, the Premier stated, would have most likely been spent on some other consultancy instead.
He further explained that the hires were done in this manner to avoid the bureaucracy that normally exists in the government’s public service structure.
Refuting claims that his administration is involved in hiring friends and family, the Premier said persons may be surprised to see who is hired after evaluations of all applications take place.
“This country is in dire need to build a strong public service, which I know that we’re going to do with the Deputy Governor and the Governor that we are working on now,” the Premier said.
The Premier contended that, without a fix of the system, future administrations will also face the same constraints he faced.
Premier Fahie said this was one of the reasons his government moved to implement steps to create an e-government platform for citizens to better do business with the government.
He cited these steps as clear examples of accountability and transparency.
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F*t Albert cannot help himself. He has the need to open his mouth before engaging his brain. The man spews nonsense and what’s worse is it’s untrue. We all know that the Government was already overburdened with useless government workers before F*t Albert came. He made it worse by hiring more. Now he sucks up to them for votes. F*t Albert, here’s a clue for you. You don’t need the votes because you will be gone by the first quarter of next year. See if Auntie has a job for you. Maybe you don’t need a job, already lined your pockets to keep you in style? Just please go away…
This sounds just like MacDonald Trump. Everything was left empty by the last Admin. So where is all these $Ms coming from. What about the 1k jobs in 1k days. Guess that this is the last Admin fault too.
The 1000 jobs in 1000 days program has been slightly modified.
It is now the 1000 jobs fewer in 1000 days
Welcome to BVI.
crack the whip.
The beatings will continue until morale improves…
That saying has new meaning to the BVI. By Dear Leader’s bar of excellence, we’ve been beaten so much these past two years we should be thankful to be alive.
Smiles everyone. Smiles!
Carry on
Depleted public service, utter nonsense, to many getting paid to be on their phones all day or take two hour lunches.
Teachers getting paid less than $3,000 with experience and Masters Degree. Junior staff making alot less than teachers but doing the supervisors work so the morale will always be low.
I acknowledge that much is left to be desired from some public servants, however, the public service will continue to be in a state of disarray with low morale.
Given the treatment dished out to general public servants particularly the low salary whilst its evident that public funds are squandered by politicians in collusion with others who believe the public coffers are their personal piggy banks, will certainly adversely affect any realistic chance to improve their morale now or in the future until there is a radical redesign in our system.
“Depleted Public service with low morale.”
You met this when u came to office but you have now created a country with depleted resources and very low morale.
AND- most of those who supported you and your party did so because you said you would fix it, not make it worse. I still believe you meant it at the time, Mr Fahie, so what happened?
Yep. Always blaming someone else.
The public service is bloated and inefficient. It has refused to implement previous improvement recommendations and operates almost like a social security service, providing employment to many who can’t make it elsewhere. Yes, there are some excellent individuals working within it, but it needs restructuring from top to bottom. And ACCOUNTABILITY.
Agree 100%. It was depleted and undescipline. But instead of you al making in it better u all made it worst..The Rudeness, the unprofessionalism at the many front desk ministries, the lateness to work in the morning, the lateness after lunch. How many hours do Civil servants suppose to work.? To add. The COI clearly showed us that u all are not good examples..
3 years now, and it is still someone else fault.
Since you cant fix our problems, then step aside.
Still hiring consultants with no job description $75,000-$80,000 per year. Whenever Andrew opens his mouth it makes one wonder if this man was really an educator? …
Deal with the country issues . Don’t be like two boys When you make a wrong move you blame it on the other school
Child … he did it too not only me . This is a nation to run , not a fowl farm and even that needs proper management . Each day is a new day to do something great for the nation not looking back . If no money was there then here are you getting the lead to make these “generous contributions “ to consultant ; to private owned barges etc . You can fool the people some of the time not all the time
Im remembering past Financial Secretary something like 6 or 7 years ago complaining that the Civil service was grossly overloaded and that it could be reduced by half and that government would continue to function as if it did not happen.Now the math teacher is determined to hire an additional 9 political Consultants. Perhaps he needs to be reminded that Bvi doesn’t have oil wells, bauxite or other minerals in the ground. Meanwhile Bvi continues to be exposed to the annual hurricanes while we are also located on top of the earthquake fault-line that runs from Puerto Rico to Venezuela. It is unlikely that a 21 days prayer and fasting would continue to protect us from the potential catastrophies indefinitely. It didnt work during hurricane Irma. To say that adding a million $s plus to taxpayers annual burden isn’t new money since its slready in the budget is a bit irresponsible. We opted not to commit to the Uk’s 360-million pounds loan means there is still much to be repaired in out cointry and common sense says that million plus can very well be repurposed towards schools, furnishing the New Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic on VG, or the separation/construction of the eond wsiting passenger/cargo dock also on VG, Hon Fahie it would be prudent to take a page from the late Hon Willard Wheatley governing book. It is obvious that in order to get the Bvi off “Grant in Aid” Hon Wheatley governed with a priority hand, a steady and prudent hand. It is said that “God takes care of infants and fools”
guess he can blame the NDP when VIP gets voted out also.
Andrew Fahie, you need to start talking truth and stop spreading l**s. Unless you still campaining
He cripple the PA with an incompetent board and MD who doing whatever they want and not following the laws. I work there for 20 years and never we open on August Monday.How you say you are broke and every week hiring people. Because is the board members family is ok. The PA is broke, management clueless. COI please send us a help.