Public Service Minister plans major overhaul to modernise public service

Newly appointed Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Zulfikar Ally, has outlined an ambitious vision to modernise Guyana’s public sector – aiming to make Government services faster, more transparent, and technologically driven to better serve citizens.

Drawing on his international experience in Washington, DC, Minister Ally is spearheading a major transformation to deliver more efficient and accountable services as part of the Government’s commitment to improving everyday interactions with state agencies.
During a recent interview on the Beyond the Title show, Minister Ally highlighted some of the key areas of focus:
“While people were generally happy with… the Government and the services that they were getting, they were asking for a lot more, and they want to see a lot more improvement in the system. So people want to go to Government agencies and get through with their transaction very quickly. They don’t want a Government department that closes at 12 for lunch, because that’s the time that they get lunch, and that’s the only time that they can transact business,” he stated, drawing from everyday experiences of citizens.
Minister Ally added that citizens do not want to apply for a licence or visit the NIS without knowing where to go to complete their transactions. He described these as realistic expectations and emphasised that the Government has the capacity to address them.
He further noted that, as the President has often stated, this administration aims to be different – changing the lives of the people and ensuring that every Government service meets established standards. This goal, he said, guides the Government’s work every day.
Minister Ally admitted that change is never easy but emphasised that the approach will be inclusive and supportive.
“Change is never easy. But when it rolls out, everyone is behind it. And I know that some people are, I wouldn’t say sceptical, but some people are thinking, ‘When change comes, I may not have my job any more, or I may not be able to function’. That is not the change that we are bringing.”
He went on to outline how the modernisation will improve efficiency and transparency:
“The change that we are bringing is one where we will make the system more transparent. We will make everyone more efficient in what they do. And we are going to upskill everyone to ensure that they are in touch with the modern world, that AI, for example, and all of the new technologies that are there to make our work a lot easier are implemented. So I want to see a public service that is fully integrated.”
Minister Ally also outlined plans to reform training and promotions in the public service. He stressed that all public servants will be required to complete mandatory training, with the system tracking participation and identifying those who have not met requirements. The move is designed to remove personal bias from promotions, ensuring that advancement is based on merit – such as years of service, completion of training, punctuality, and consistent performance – rather than on whether a supervisor favours an employee.
Minister Ally also reflected on infrastructure improvements and the Government’s ability to execute larger projects: “We didn’t have the opportunity in those times to say we’re going to do all of the roads in a community. We had to select a road that was probably the worst in the community, maybe a road that had a school at the end of it, and say, ‘This is the road our budget can afford.’ Now, we are doing every road in every community… We’ve managed to do every road in every community, and that is no small task.”