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Feb 26, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists
If a random survey were to be conducted among the country’s workers to determine whether they would prefer to work in the public or private sector, it is most likely that a majority would say the public sector. The reason is they see the public sector as a place with lax rules and where beneficial rewards will be available at the end of the month for the least amount of effort.
The unflattering perception has been created that the public sector is a haven for the lazy, non-ambitious and worthless. This opinion stands in sharp contrast to 30 years ago, when the dream of the average high school and university graduate was to have a job in the public sector and to contribute to national development. This is not altogether new.
The private sector is seen by many as a place with stringent rules and where people have to work, deliver and abide by the rules or else they will be fired. For many Guyanese, having a Government job has come to mean that they can arrive late for work, take a two-hour lunch break, attend to personal business, and then leave an hour or so earlier before the end of the workday.
While this may be a bit exaggerated, there are many instances where some civil servants would not only show up for work late, but they would also leave during the day to attend to personal matters, and reappear anytime during the afternoon. This kind of poor work ethic is one of the reasons why so little is being achieved and why it takes so long for the government to get anything done on time.
But in life, there is never such a thing as a free lunch. Ultimately, it is the taxpayers who are being saddled with a heavy burden to support a bureaucracy that is inefficient and is not delivering value for the people’s money. Indeed, it calls into question the urgent need for public sector reform. Yes, real reform is needed in the public sector to ensure that it functions more efficiently, instead of being a drain on the taxpayers.
Studies have shown that inefficiency in the public sector is very costly to the nation. It undermines the possibility of higher economic growth, because of the inordinate amount of time it often takes the government to make key decisions that have a direct impact on the lives of the people, and for the private sector to carry out its important role as the engine of growth.
It has also contributed to millions of dollars in wastage every year, and it seems that no one has ever been held accountable, which means that the public sector is poorly managed, and has been for many of the years since independence. The government must address this issue urgently.
Every five years, the citizens elect Governments to provide solutions to the major issues facing the country; not to make excuses. Improving public sector efficiency is an issue which needs urgent attention, but it requires leaders who are not afraid to take the bull by the horns.
That said, it must be acknowledged that the country owes its success, especially during the early years of Independence, to the Public Service, which was highly respected across the Caribbean and beyond for its competence and professionalism. But that was a time when the public service had a plethora of qualified, skilled and competent public servants to manage the affairs of the country.
The current government needs to rediscover this period by improving the public sector work ethic of the not too distant past. As Guyana prepares to observe its 50th independence anniversary, it should reflect on positive, past experiences as it looks ahead to a brighter future. There could not be a better time than now to make this happen, but it would need the contribution of everyone, including the private sector which is crucial as ever.
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
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