Wanted: Job description for Ministers

Apr 18, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
As I read a very interesting and informative editorial in the Online version of the Jamaica Observer, dated April 15, 2009, I reflected on the ‘operation’ of our dear President and some Cabinet Ministers, and do concur.
A few quotes from the article will suffice at his time.
“Well-meaning politicians come to ministerial positions without the benefit of an adequate understanding of their proper role in the political system. As a result, they often dissipate the political capital associated with ministerial power and compromise their role….”

“By intervening at an inappropriate level, Ministers make decisions without waiting to be informed by the considered advice of permanent secretaries, expert technicians and boards of directors….”
“There have been some notable examples of detrimental decisions because of the rampant arrogance of Ministers who feel they are so bright that they make decisions which commit the Government … even before approval by Cabinet….” As was the case of Minister Robeson Benn firing the striking traffic controllers.
“Ministers must stay above the fray and not dabble in minutiae like fact-finding. They must give their officials the necessary guidelines and keep their political leverage for the big decisions to be settled with their counterparts and at the appropriate time.”

Two recent incidents seemed rather strange and unfortunate, to me.
First is the President’s, almost total and single handed involvement, save and except that of the Judicial Manager’s, in the CLICO fiasco.
The second is Minister Robeson Benn’s involvement in the issue with GECOM and K.P. Thomas.
Ovid E. Schultz

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