PPP/C stacking public service with loyalists – Harmon

Oct 10, 2020 News

Kaieteur News – Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, is of the belief that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is stacking the public service with its loyalists. The Opposition Leader made these assertions, yesterday during his weekly press conference after it was announced that the PPP/C had appointed eight new Permanent Secretaries.

Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon

Those appointments include Shannielle Hoosein-Outar to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security; Andre Ally to the Ministry of Housing and Water; Bishram Kuppen to the Ministry of Labour; Sharon Roopchand-Edwards to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce; Malcolm Watkins to the Ministry of Health; Sharon Hicks to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; Mae Thomas to the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Vladim Persaud to the Ministry of Public Works.
While many of these appointees possess Diplomas, Master Degrees and the other relevant qualifications for the position, Harmon posited that the academic competence is not the only item that would secure them the position.
Harmon articulated, “The Permanent Secretary is the administrative head and accounting officer who is responsible for the assets of the Ministry; that person stands between Government regulations and ministerial excesses. He or she must be aware of all Government regulations and programmes and is involved in the preparation and expenditure of budgets; they report to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, and it takes years of experience in the public service to become that competent.”
What is concerning is that the Opposition Leader went on to claim that Permanent Secretaries who were replaced were not informed prior, and that “they only learned about it in the newspapers.”