Fri | Mar 29, 2024

The more things change ...

Published:Monday | September 17, 2018 | 12:00 AM

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I recently had the opportunity to read the republication of Peter Espeut's first official column in The Gleaner, 'Lean and mawgah government', in February this year.

I wonder if he has thought to revisit the same subject with particular reference to the Fisheries Division of the agriculture ministry. He should do so.

After 25 years, he may be surprised to find little has changed. He said the director was threatened with arrest. What sanction was actually carried out, if any? With the Access to Information Act, he should delve much deeper into what is going on at taxpayers' expense.

It's possible it has got worse, service-wise. Some stories I have heard make me realise efficiency is not a priority for this administration and hasn't been for several administrations.

Government is still trying to reduce the size of the civil service in a most inefficient and ineffective way! Many years ago, a head of department told me that her particular ministry could operate on two-thirds the staff it had. The problem, was they would cut the wrong one-third, as it would not be done in the most effective and efficient way!

DAWN WILLIAMS

dantheawilliams@gmail.com