Jamaica is at a defining period in its development as it confronts its huge fiscal deficits and grapples with a massive debt burden. Addressing the Budget deficit, which is now $10 billion-requires application of various measures of redress. The Government therefore has to act decisively to transform the public sector which accounts for $125 billion, the second-largest expenditure on the Budget next to debt servicing.

While this may have been a strong trigger, it is not the only motivating factor, as it is abundantly clear to many of us that changes are required in the way we conduct business. We the citizens deserve better service and are demanding more as taxpayers.

Paying attention to the size and cost of the public sector is not new. We have done it before and we have had measures of success, as evident in the establishment of executive agencies such as the Registrar General's Department and the National Land Agency, among others, and the streamlining of the Contractor General's Office, and several other positive initiatives in the public sector. What is new in this current effort is the holistic approach being adopted to evoke the radical change required to make an overall impact that will result in us realising the vision of "a transformed cohesive public sector that is performance-based, efficient, cost effective and service-oriented.

This will certainly not happen in 18 months, which is the period of execution for the Public Sector Transformation Unit (PSTU). What will happen in 18 months is a careful analysis of all ministries and their respective entities. These will be examined in an objective manner to determine their unambiguous mandates, their core functions, skills and competencies required to execute their functions. In addition, a proper assessment of the systems and structures necessary to give credence to these ministries and their entities will be conducted. In so doing, areas of overlap and duplication will emerge, requiring the decision to merge, transfer, abolish or retain and restructure entities and where applicable to contract out services that they should not do.

To facilitate this process, ministries were asked to provide information regarding their ministries and entities' mandates, the subjects covered, the staff complement, the budget - to include both revenue and expenditure and recommendations for restructuring. Ministries have returned this information which will be reviewed by the PSTU team.

mandate

The PSTU comprises two support staff and seven specialists from both public and private sectors. The skill sets cover various areas of management to include organisational management, business process re-engineering, change management, human resource management and industrial relations, project management, information technology and financial management.

The unit's mandate is "to lead, monitor, evaluate and facilitate the implementation of the restructuring of the public sector for efficient, effective and economical government". Of note, the PSTU cannot implement the changes within ministries, departments and agencies. This is a process that must be driven by the leadership within and with the support of staff at all levels. It is for this reason that inter-disciplinary transition teams will be established in all ministries, departments and agencies with representation to include human resource specialists, communication specialists, ICT personnel, union representatives and staff at all levels of the organisation.

The transition teams are going to be the champions of the transformation exercise. They will be fully apprised of the changes taking place within their organisations so they can communicate clearly all the critical issues to their colleagues. They will direct staff to the various support services provided to facilitate transition within and across ministries and agencies and for those who will be dislocated due to the new governance arrangements.

A critical element in our approach is extensive consultations and engagement in social dialogue with stakeholders at all levels. Undoubtedly, the involvement of the trade unions is crucial and to this end, we have had preliminary discussions with representatives of various unions. Their input and support are vital to the entire change process being embarked on in the public sector.

dislocation

In streamlining the public sector, we must be realistic that there will be dislocation within the sector. How we treat, however, with those who must transition out of the public sector is very important. We must treat people with the dignity and respect they deserve, having served our country. We recognise that this transition can be traumatic, both for those who will remain and those who will leave. Consequently, the PSTU team met with a team of professionals to discuss the critical psycho-social counselling that will be required, with a view to putting in place the support necessary for staff.

It is natural for public-sector workers to have concerns and they may even be frightened at the prospect of losing a job. However, the potential for business opportunities emanating from the restructuring and rationalising of the public sector is great. Public-sector workers must contemplate those opportunities that will present themselves and position themselves to move with alacrity to grasp what could be a most viable project for self-development. To ensure the provisions are in place to facilitate this, a meeting was held with the chairman and managing director of the Development Bank of Jamaica and the executive director of the Jamaica Business Development Corporation to discuss the possibility of low-interest loans with modified collateral requirements for dislocated public sector workers. This is now being considered and the details will be shared with officers.

The prime minister stated in his address to the Parliament on September 30 that "much of the public sector is governed by a pyramid structure in which authority is concentrated at the top and responsibility is not clearly defined nor effectively located". He further stated that "efficient operations require a flatter structure, devolution of authority with responsibility". The current policies and legislative framework must be reviewed and amended to support this new ethos which must emerge both in form and substance.

This transformed public sector must align responsibility with authority and hold managers accountable. For this to happen, we must amend the governing statutes. We must put in place the relevant modern systems, structures and tools to support good governance. We must plan effectively, knowing what are the specific outputs required and the expected outcomes.

We must have the right leaders to lead by example and workers with the appropriate skills and competencies and we must provide the incentives and rewards to motivate public officers to continue to go beyond the call of duty, which many of them actually do. We must put in place the sanctions required when public officers are less than professional in the execution of their responsibilities.

paradigm shift

The transformation of the public sector will require a paradigm shift in the way we think, act and conduct the business of government. It requires not only a change of systems and structures, but a change of culture that will not occur overnight. The process of transforming the public sector will take longer than 18 months. The PSTU will facilitate the dramatic changes required and will have the support of the Public Sector Modernisation Division of the Cabinet Office to continue to roll out a number of initiatives that are systemic to modernising the public sector. The PSTU's work will be short but positively incisive.

Jamaica is fortunate to have a strong partnership to deal with this national imperative which is supported by the private sector as demonstrated by the PSOJ providing financial support to the PSTU for the payment of two specialists from the private sector. Attorneys in private practice have also volunteered to work with attorneys in the public sector to review existing legislation requiring amendment to strengthen the legal framework.

This partnership has also influenced the governance structure to support the work of the PSTU evident in the Consultative Monitoring Group (CMG) which is chaired by Peter Moses of Citigroup. Other members of the CMG include Ambassador Douglas Saunders, Cabinet secretary; Dr. Wesley Hughes, financial secretary; Wayne Jones, president Jamaica Civil Service Association and general secretary of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions; Professor Alvin Wint, University of the West Indies; Jean Lowrie-Chin, businesswoman and communication consultant, and a member of the Opposition to be named.

In closing, we must acknowledge the work of public officers who work assiduously despite the need for improved wages and compensation, sometimes under very challenging circumstances. We must also recognise the undisputed fact that the public sector has a highly skilled cadre of workers who provide excellent service to the public. Let us therefore work together to ensure that the public sector becomes the employer of choice attracting the brightest and the best, as this is the only way we can realise the vision of "a transformed cohesive public sector that is performance-based, efficient, cost effective and service-oriented".

Pat Sinclair-McCalla is chief executive officer of Public Sector Transformation Unit, Office of the Cabinet.

Senior sector specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Astrid Wynter, explains the IDB's role in the plans of the Government of Jamaica for a results-based public sector. She was speaking at the launch of the Results-Based Management, Implementation and Performance Indicators training course, geared towards public-sector workers, at the Management Institute for National Development in Kingston on July 20. - JIS PHOTO