Inequity in employment within the Public Sector

Feb 19, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Permit me to share an experience. This is an experience that is too common to the Guyanese citizenry and I fell compelled to speak out about it.
While at the University of Guyana (UG), I recall one of the lecturers highlighting some of the “flaws” of the old system of Public Administration, where persons were employed based on; patronage, favouritism, nepotism, corruption etc, but while hearing this statement, I never taught that I would have experienced this form of blatant inequity in this dear country of mine.
I graduated from the UG, Berbice Campus in 2007, at the top of my Public Management class, I was also awarded for being the 2nd Best Graduating Student overall at the Berbice Campus, with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.8.
I was employed by the Ministry of Health, along with a few other individuals as a Management Trainee from October, 2008 to October, 2010, with the assurance that upon successful completion of the two-year Management Trainee Programme, all “Trainees” would be offered entry level to Middle Level Management position within the Health Sector.
Upon successfully completing the Management Trainee Programme on the 31st October, 2010 my contract came to an end and the Ministry of Health was unable to find a permanent position for me and further, wanted me to work without a contract, to which I refused and decided not to continue working with the Ministry of Health.
I was later contacted by the Coordinator of the Management Trainee Programme and was told about a job opening at the Fort Wellington Hospital in Region Five, for an Assistant Hospital Administrator, I was then asked if I would like to apply for the post, which I later did.
It’s worth mentioning that prior to my contract coming to an end; I had worked at the New Amsterdam Hospital, heading the Administrative Department there. I also spent time working at the Linden Hospital Complex (Region Ten), Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Mabaruma Regional Hospital (Region One), the National Blood Transfusion Service and the Ministry of Health itself.
After I had applied and sent my application along with my CV and Certificates to the Ministry of Health in Georgetown, I was called by the Public Service Ministry and asked to attend an interview on the 29th December, 2010 at 10:00hrs at the Fort Wellington Board Room in Region Five.
On the morning of the interview, I was the second candidate to be called in to be interviewed by the Panel, which consisted of Mr. Carvil Duncan, Ms. John from the Public Service Ministry, the RHO for Region Five and the Secretary for the Public Service Commission.
The Secretary for the Public Service Commission was chairing the interview.
When I was called in front of the interviewing panel, before they decided to start the interview, the Secretary for the Public Service Commission asked me if I was still employed as a Management Trainee with the Ministry of Health and I told him no and stated my reasons for leaving. He then told me, “not to worry, he was in contact with the Human Resources officer for the Ministry of Health (Ms. Smith) and the Ministry of Health got plans for me.”
I was surprised at this statement, but I did nothing to indicate my surprise. With that, he then continued by telling me that I must look at the next Public Service Ministry Circular that is going to be out in January 2011.
Having heard the Secretary for the Public Service Commission telling me that I should look at the next PSM Circular even before the interview had formally started I was puzzled, anyway he started the interview after those remarks.
After the interview was finished he then again told me to look for the next PSM Circular that is going to be out January month end, I was again puzzled, so upon reaching home I made a couple of calls and was told by a Management Personnel from the Ministry of Health that they were informed that the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, had already identified someone to fill the position and he had communicated this to the Human Resource Officer at the Ministry of Health, who apparently communicated this to the Secretary of the Public Service Commission.
Having heard this I was upset, because based on my knowledge that’s not how the Recruitment and Selection Process should be done but, I wanted to give the system a chance to prove itself, so I waited to see the outcome. I waited and waited and waited, until the 26th of January, 2011, when I decided to call the Public Service Ministry to find out if I was selected. After calling I was informed by a young man, that someone else was selected, I told him thanks and hung up.
I then called the Secretary for the Public Service Commission and told him that I was just informed that I was not selected for the position and I am inquiring where did I “fell down” in the interview, so that I can work on my shortcomings in the event I have to go for another interview. He then gave me and excuse about me not being qualified for the job, I then reminded him about my qualifications and work experience; he then started to “stutter” and started mentioning how he’s under pressure to fill positions and how he’s presently looking to fill the position of RHO in Region Five and a whole lot of other stuff. I then told him that I feel I was discriminated against and I further told him that I was going to report this to the Ethnic Relations Commission, he then said “go right ahead comrade” after which I hung up and called the Ethnic Relations Commission (which is presently investigating the matter).
My contention is; I have all the requirements for the job, plus I had already functioned effectively in that same position prior to my contract coming to and end, why I was not given a fair opportunity at the interview. To add to this I am upset about the fact that I was called to the interview, as a ‘scape goat’ just so as to make the process look transparent, when the Commission already had someone in mind.
What is also surprising is that none of the other three individuals who went to the interview ever had prior working experience within the Health Sector. I would not comment much on the choice of the person that was selected but, what I will say is that the individual had never worked within the Health Sector, nor was he functioning in a Managerial Capacity prior to being employed within the said position nor is he more “Academically Qualified” than me.
When looking at situations like these, I am sure that the readers out there will agree with me when I say that occurrences like these justify why our young and intelligent minds are migrating to other parts of the world, where they are given the opportunity to reach their “fullest” potential and end up going on to make significant contributions to the development of those countries.
It is therefore my view that equity and fairness must prevail in Guyana if we are to move forward and create an enabling environment that would foster Economic Development and curb the “Brain Drain,” that is affecting this country.
Ronley Kendall

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