Holness points to sabotage

A woman walks past these Hurricane Melissa-wrecked buildings in Black River, St Elizabeth, last Friday. Today marks the first anniversary of the Category 5 storm that inflicted heavy damage on sections of the island. (Photo: Garfield Robinson) Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has signalled that changes are coming to the public sector as there are individuals deliberately delaying or derailing government programmes. As such, he said the country should prepare for a shake-up in how the public service operates. Holness said he was increasingly concerned that some public officers were obstructing the Government’s plans, warning that it could no longer be “business as usual” as Jamaica continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa. “I don’t usually speak in extreme terms, and there are some subjects that it is better not to speak about them. But more and more I’m coming to the conclusion that there are persons in the public sector who are determined to, again, to use the very harsh word, sabotage. And I don’t say it lightly, they delay, derail policies, programmes, and initiatives of the Government. I see you, [and] I’m preparing the country to expect these changes, as it cannot be business as usual,” he said. The prime minister was speaking at a special press briefing at Jamaica House on Tuesday during which he outlined plans to reduce government spending and improve the delivery of public services as the country faces the continuing cost of hurricane recovery. While announcing further spending restrictions, Holness said the Government would also examine how ministries, departments, agencies, and public bodies operate, with the aim of removing duplication, improving coordination, and speeding up decisions. He indicated that personnel changes would form part of that process, particularly where leadership, capacity, or performance needed to be strengthened. Holness said the changes were necessary to ensure that the public service could respond more effectively to the country’s needs, especially as the Government tries to move recovery projects forward while controlling expenditure. “Government must be reset and reorganised to meet the needs of our country. Government must be frugal and disciplined in its use of public resources, agile in its decisions, and responsive to the people it serves,” he said. The warning comes as the Government intensifies its efforts to redirect funds towards hurricane recovery, including an additional $9.65 billion for the Restoration of Owner and Occupant Family Shelter (ROOFS) programme. Holness said the Government could not meet every demand without making difficult choices, and that savings would have to be found in some areas to finance higher-priority needs. “If I have to find $9.65 billion for the ROOFS programme, some things will have to be cut elsewhere,” he said. Among the measures announced on Tuesday was an immediate pause on the purchase of motor vehicles for public officials until March 31, 2027, alongside a review of Government property leases and restrictions on hotel retreats and end-of-year celebrations. The measures build on a moratorium on non-essential official overseas travel announced last week, scheduled to remain in effect until March 31, 2027. Holness said greater financial restraint must be matched by improvements in how public institutions work, arguing that Government leaders and senior officials must make priorities rather than attempt to satisfy every demand at once. He said the Government would be expected to make changes to its systems and procedures, while warning that officials who delay or derail its programmes could not expect the existing arrangements to continue unchanged.