Making a mockery of independence

Mar 14, 2014 Editorial

There was a time when people in the civil service knew that when they joined the system all they had to do was to work assiduously and promotion would be merited. Those were the days when the civil service was seen as the doyen of all jobs. It was a career.
However, things were not always what they seemed. People soon realised that their colour played a part in their promotion. Some people knew that they could only aspire to a certain level in the system, because of their colour. They readily acquiesced that people of the lighter complexion would hold the highest office.
It was the same in the Guyana Police Force. The reality was that an expatriate would always head the force; that the lower rungs would be occupied by locals. And were we to go further back, we would have found that locals who did not secure a high school education knew that they would be promoted no higher than sergeant.
With independence it became clear that anyone could aspire to the highest office in the land. Even before May 26, 1966, locals began to head the Guyana Police Force. The mould had been broken. From then on people in the public service did their job and gained promotion as they deserved. Some gained accelerated promotion and were pitch-forked ahead of their more senior colleagues.
However, the administration had to write copious notes explaining the reason for the supersession. Such things were not done according to the whims and fancies of the people in power. Things began to take a turn when the administration began to reach across organisations in instances where the powers that be felt that whoever was in line was not suitable for the higher office.
This saw a policeman being transferred to head the Guyana Defence Force, the head of a security guard agency being called back to head the Guyana Police Force, a senior police rank being transferred to head the prison service and things like that.
Judges were duly appointed on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; head teachers on the recommendation of the Teaching Service Commission; and senior public servants on the word of the Public Service Commission.
There was also a time when Permanent Secretaries were above the political fray. They came through the ranks of the public service and that station was the highest they could attain. They were often transferred in keeping with the exigencies of the service, but beyond that they were outside the scope of the politician.
Things have changed. Permanent Secretaries are now political appointees. In the post-1992 era the opposition parties did make a fuss about the radical movement of permanent secretaries on political grounds. The then President Dr Cheddi Jagan insisted that his government had the right to appoint its permanent secretaries.
There continues to be the politicisation of the public service. It is now a widely held belief that people with the right political connection are appointed to key positions. It would seem that competence and ability have been sacrificed at the political altar.
It is also the case that anyone who offends the political directorate can expect to be stymied.
The involvement of the head of state in certain appointments and removals from office is fully understood. The President has that right. As Commander in Chief of the armed forces he has the right to appoint his military officers.
The Ministers of Government have no such right. The nation learnt over the years that independent organisations such as the service commissions would not take action unless there is concurrence with the subject Ministry. This makes a mockery of the issue of independence.
Employment and promotions should not be at the whims and fancies of the politicians. In a country plagued by ethnic insecurities, the worse thoughts may cross the mind of an employee when it is promotion time.

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Making a mockery of independence

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