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‘Free and open source software’ can improve public service system
Vidyaratha Kissoon
Educator and Information Technology (IT) specialist, Vidyaratha Kissoon, has offered the Commission of Inquiry, (COI) into the Public Service, information on the benefits of free and open source software technology, in the improvement of the sector.
Kissoon is the holder of a Degree in Computer Science and a Graduate of the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
In a presentation before the Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday, Kissoon pointed to a recent revelation that public servants have been illegally acquiring software to conduct their duties.
Kissoon said that this was indeed “shocking” since public servants have the option of using “free and open source software” to complete their tasks. Kissoon held that “no public servant in Guyana has any reason to use pirated software.”
According to him, free and open source software has numerous benefits for the Public sector.
These include the availability of a source code which can be modified and improved to suit changing conditions; the right to freely and legitimately redistribute the modified and improved code and the right to a large population of users and information sharing between various government agencies. He said that the government can surely benefit since it is the largest user of IT software in the nation.
The witness recommended, too, that the government champions the investment and stimulation of the local IT sector. The IT specialist underlined the need for more training and education in the field of technology.
In response to questions, Kissoon said that with this type of software, security is not a major issue; it has been proven to be a safe mode of preserving and transmitting “sensitive data.”
He held that “free and open source” software has been the choice of Governments in North America. Kissoon also noted that the use of software technology can aid the human resource component of the public sector.
“This provides opportunity for us to break free from any issue with licensing or piracy in this capacity,” he added.
And commenting on the recruitment process in the Public Sector, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) of the Integrity Commission, Amanda Jaisingh, suggested that employment in the sector should be conducted solely through the Public Service Commission, (PSC).
Jaisingh, who has a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management, Planning and Development, told the Commission that based on her thesis on recruitment, the PSC should not have to contend with the Public Service Department in the recruitment of civil workers.
“I think there should be one agency doing the recruitment, to eliminate corruption and conflict.”
She outlined a list of methods in which the recruitment process of public servants can be improved. “You must have the right person for the right job”.
Jaisingh held that recruitment of persons should be characterized by theoretical (written) and practical examinations and analysis; in which applicants have the opportunity of proving that they are competent enough for the position. “It should not be an ‘I know you, you know me’ thing… There should be various components for applicants to undergo before getting the job.”
In the employment of persons, Jaisingh said there should there be a training manual for every job title. She held that there should also be continuous training after recruitment.
She also pointed to the need for improvement in the area of planning and data collection.
“There should be an adequate system for human resource planning and forecasting…. In India for instance, with the click of button they know in the next ten years how many persons would be retiring and which posts would be vacant so as to plan ahead.”
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