Int’l Public Service Day
With the discovery of oil, production of which is set to being by 2020, skilled workers who would have left Guyana are returning to take up available jobs.
This is according to Permanent Secretary Reginald Brotherson of the Department of Public Service; who said that over the years, skilled workers would have migrated, but since the discovery of oil here, many of those now resident overseas are “eyeing” the available opportunities to return home.
“The brain drain: they are coming back and they’re coming back to get jobs they expect would be available. So that is why we, as public servants, need to keep our jobs and strive for excellence,” he urged.
Brotherson made the pronouncement at the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) International Public Service Day luncheon.
The United Nations has designated June 23 of every year as International Public Service Day; and to commemorate this day, the Guyana Public Service Union hosted a luncheon to honour those in the public sector. Public Service Day is observed under the theme ‘The future is now; accelerating public service innovation for the agenda 2030.’
“Public Service Day is dedicated to a number of things, one being to celebrate the value and virtues of public service to the community, highlight the contribution of public service in the development process, and recognize the work of public servants; and to encourage young people to pursue careers in the public service,” Brotherson said.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Public Service Staff College, retired Colonel Lawrence Paul, said there are still many issues within the public service, but he noted that the college is one way of addressing those.
The college, which started under President David Granger, seeks to provide training for all persons entering the public service, to ensure effective functioning and smooth delivery of service.
“We recognize that public service as the engine of the executive must be efficient…and the services provided by this arm of the state, which runs the state actually, must be accessible in all regions in a modern way, which includes technology and innovation,” Paul added.
He also stressed that public servants, despite their political persuasions, must be loyal to the government of the day.
Paul said that the mission of the college is to develop public servants with the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to meet the everyday challenges, while performing their duties efficiently and effectively.
He noted that this can only be achieved through providing and designing a wide range of quality training based on the needs of the public service, and to provide development opportunities to improve the capabilities of individuals within the sector.
Over the years, the public sector has been criticized for its sloth in the delivery of services, which public servants always blamed on underpayment.
