Hotlines for all ministries are needed

Sep 04, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

It has been reported that the “Health Ministry launches hotline for complaints,” (SN, August 28, 2023). The article said, “getting public feedback on the quality of health services provided by the state is an initiative of President Irfaan Ali, who wants data not only on what is being done but what improvements are needed in the health sector.” This is a good move if Ministries would use feedback to make rapid response changes to their process and secure better outcomes in productivity, and the public is served in a “fast response” mode. I suggest that a complaints hotline is needed for all Government ministries, as a form of accountability to the public and improvement in services.

The Public Service, as is, is in a Third World mindset. It is inefficient, ineffective, and is designed to breed bribery and corruption to speed things up and getting things done. Rural folks suffer most and are victims of this inefficiency. It’s the same regardless of which party is in Government. It seems as if nobody is in a hurry to fix these problems that have been ongoing for decades. Recently, Hajji Roshan Khan blasted the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as an ongoing failure and called for the President to intervene.

I did call the Health Ministry’s hotline and got no answer after calling twice. However, I did get a call back. To be clear, no Ministry likes to be criticized nor do they like feedback that they are not customer friendly. The Ministers and Ministry people are very thin-skinned. In the USA, you will be thanked profusely for caring to give customer feedback or for making complaints. Minister Anthony and Director General Dr. Mahadeo did respond to some feedback I gave about some issues at health facilities.

My favourite Minister is Minister Vindhya Persaud who has always responded when I contacted her to seek assistance for folks I am helping. I hope other Ministers would follow her lead and understand that when I contact them on behalf of people who don’t know what to do and where to turn for help, I am in effect, helping them to serve the public. Minister Charles Ramson is also responsive. In Burnham’s time, the PNC had district offices where you can go to for help. They will listen to your story and give you a letter to go to the relevant Government Department. The PPP should do that too so their supporters who voted for them can get help to navigate the Ministry system that is designed to frustrate, especially poor, rural people. The lack of assistance centers when people need help is quite a frustration for many, and the Government should fix this problem soon.

The General Register Office has a complaint hotline. Would be good to know how effective that is because many complain of the long time it takes to get birth/death/marriage certificates from them. It is not enough to have a complaints hotline. What is the follow up, and how does efficiency increase? How does that help us to do things that are new, different and better? Let’s get report cards from those Departments with hotlines/complaints process. And what’s happening at the Drivers’ Licences area? Everybody is telling me that you can get a licence delivered to your home for $120-$140,000. Is anyone doing anything about this? In light of the number of deadly accidents, we need to pay closer attention to how people are getting drivers’ licences. Bring on the hotlines in Government!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jerry Jailall

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Dr. Jerry Jailall, Hajji Roshan Khan, Health Ministry, Irfaan Ali, National Insurance Scheme (NIS)

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