Pres Ali directs regions to clear bottlenecks, improve public services

President Dr Irfaan Ali has met with Regional Executive Officers (REOs), Regional Education Officers and Regional Health Officers from all 10 Administrative Regions as Government continues efforts to improve the delivery of public services. According to Ali in a social media post on Monday, the discussions focused on service delivery, efficiency and systemic changes being implemented to ensure citizens have reliable access to education and healthcare services.

Ali said he also heard concerns and challenges affecting the regions and instructed officials to address pending issues and remove bottlenecks that are affecting service delivery.
The engagement comes weeks after Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo met with Permanent Secretaries (PSs), REOs, accounting officers and other senior public officials and warned that breaches of procurement and financial regulations would carry consequences. At the September 8 meeting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Jagdeo stressed the responsibility of senior officials to ensure compliance with laws and regulations while maintaining efficient management of public resources. The discussions also examined measures to strengthen the monitoring of procurement and Government payment systems, as well as the dissemination of information to the public. Government had said officials were cautioned that breaches of established procedures would result in consequences for those responsible. Ali’s latest engagement also reviewed developments in the health and education sectors, with particular attention to the use of technology to improve service delivery. The President said digital solutions are being pursued in the health sector to improve the timely delivery of drugs and medical supplies to patients at hospitals and health centres across the country.
The latest meeting follows a similar engagement on May 13 involving Ali, Jagdeo, Cabinet members, REOs, PSs, officials from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and accounting officers from the regions.
At that meeting, Ali described public office as a “sacred trust” and said public funds must be used to advance citizens’ welfare and national development.
Government had also announced plans to use technological tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor procurement processes, improve efficiency and detect improper practices. Both Ali and Jagdeo had warned that violations of financial and procurement procedures could result in serious consequences, including removal from office where warranted.