ON BEING PROFESSIONAL

Sep 09, 2017 News

Persons who work for the government, as well as officers of the State who are members of parliament, the judiciary or constitutional office holders, are required to follow official government policy.
For example, the Commissioner of Police, the Chief of Staff or the Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority cannot do as they please, their actions must be in conformity with the policies of the government.
Public officers are equally required to be professional. This means that politicians should not interfere in the day-to-day affairs of government departments, nor should politicians instruct any public officer to do something which is against acceptable professional standards.
If these normative values – the right of government to set policy and the right of public officers to resist actions that can impair their professionalism – are synergized, then we will have greater levels of professionalism within State and public offices.
I am therefore calling on public officers not to be pressured into doing things that will undermine their professionalism. Comply with government policy, but do not be swayed into doing or defining actions which undermine your professionalism.
Of course, it would be unprofessional for such orders to be complied with, because this would mean that the day-to-day decisions of a government agency are being dictated by forces external to that agency, something that erodes professionalism.
I am not asking public officials to be rebellious against the political masters. As I said they are obligated to follow policy or what is known as general directions.
However, no public official should be asked to do something that is against professional standards or which is likely to bring his office into disrepute.
No public official for example should have to suffer a gag order. No public official should be instructed not to talk to a newspaper No public official should have to be asked to not provide advertisements to this newspaper.
One of the persons who was an outstanding legal mind, was the former the Attorney General of Guyana, Mr. Doodnauth Singh. He was one of the best criminal defence lawyers this country has ever produced and we have produced some of the best, including Bernard De Santos and Rex Mc Kay.
Doodnauth Singh ill-advisedly became a technocratic minister with the PPPC government. He was often required as the Attorney General to explain and defend the rationale for some legislation which was being put to the National Assembly.
If you listened to him you would have observed that he chose his words very carefully. He simply explained the legislation and the intention of the Bill.
If he was asked a question, he would not venture a personal opinion, but explain government’s policy. In this way, he was able to stay above the political fray while retaining the professionalism of his office.
There are many good men and women who hold public office and who are able to behave like professionals. We need more of these persons who would not be drawn into the politics of any decision they make.
I think in Guyana, where public officers have to maintain that balance between conformity to government policy and the maintenance of professional standards, that a good measure of professional behaviour is the extent to which these professionals can do their jobs but stay above the political fray.
There are some things, of course, which no public officer should do. No public officer should lie or cover up the truth. No public officer should break the law or act in a capricious manner.
If any public officer is asked to do something that involves acting against his or her conscience, it is an obligation of that officer to refuse to carry out that instruction and in so doing, to tender his or her resignation.
I urge all public officers, especially in light of what is taking place right now in our country, to be professionals. Do not allow any politician to give you an instruction that is against what you believe. Stand firm or resign. The choice is yours. You may lose your job, but you will gain respect.

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