Public service inquiry calls for submissions

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the public service is to begin hearings soon and it has issued a call for submissions.

The CoI was established by President David Granger to inquire into, report on, and make recommendations on the role, functions, recruitment pro-cess, remuneration and conditions of service for public servants. Its mandate includes determining measures to improve the efficiency of the public service.

According to a Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) report, Secretary to the Commission Geeta Chandan-Edmond said that the members of the public have been calling and emailing the CoI’s Secre-tariat with statements about their experiences in the public service. She also guaranteed that the process of persons making submissions to the CoI will be impartial.

Although a significant number of submissions were received by the Secretariat, notices were sent out seeking additional submissions to be forwarded via email to publicservantscommission@gmail.com or to the Secretariat’s address at the Public Service Department on Waterloo Street. Any additional inquiries can be made at the Commission Secretariat at telephone number 225-4321.

The hearings will be open to the general public for oral presentations, which will be held at the Secretariat Building at the Public Service Ministry.

The GINA report said the CoI is expected to have a life of three months, with the option of renewal, should the commissioners feel they need more time. Professor Harold Lutchman is functioning as chair, with Sandra Jones and Samuel Goolsarran serving as the other commissioners.

 

During the process of the CoI, Granger had said, the current training division of the Public Service Ministry would be upgraded to the Public Service Staff College.