By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC sector promotions increased by 233 percent from 2014 to 2016 under the Christie administration, according to a Public Service Commission report that says promotions are too often recommended even when vacancies do not exist.

The figure was based on The Tribune’s calculation following revelation in a report that 270 promotions were processed in 2014, 529 in 2015 and 899 in 2016.

The PSC report for the years 2014 to 2016 was tabled by Public Service Minister Brensil Rolle in the House of Assembly yesterday. It noted that by the end of 2016, there were 20,310 employees throughout the public sector. Data from the Department of Statistics released on Friday revealed more than 2,500 jobs were lost from the public sector since the Minnis administration took office.

“The commission noted that over the years, public officers are too often recommended for promotion as a means of reward for good governance at a lower grade without full account being taken of the ability of the employee to successfully perform at levels of greater responsibility,” the report said. “It is not clear, particularly in some clerical scales, but also in some technical, skilled and non-skilled scales, whether officers are required, or expected to take on additional duties or to assume greater levels of responsibility following their promotion. The removal of vacated established posts from the annual budget of ministries and departments commencing in the mid-1990s has not had the intended effect of reducing pressures for promotion in the ranks of the public service.”

Although the PSC is not responsible for promoting police officers, concern about promotions were raised by National Security Minister Marvin Dames last year. He said the force is too top-heavy and he bemoaned the unprecedented promotion exercise that took place in the final weeks of the Christie administration’s tenure.

“The commission is of the view that the number of vacancies in a post ought to be all-important when deciding on recommendations for promotions or acting appointments. Hence, the commission recommends that establishment posts be clearly defined for all ministries and departments and that the establishment be strictly adhered to allow recruitment and promotion exercises so as to both restrict the rapid expansion of the permanent and pensionable establishment with attendant costs, and reduce some of the pressure for the rapid promotion through the ranks.”

The report said in some instances, recommendations for promotion were made for officers who “clearly did not meet one or more of the requirements” for the post.

Exercising his constitutional right, former Prime Minister Perry Christie appointed Rev Dr James Moultrie as chairman of the PSC in November 2013 for a three-year term. Ruth Miller and Idris Reid were also appointed as members at the time.

The PSC also remarked on the Ministry of Public Service’s “apparent diffidence” when dealing with disciplinary matters, suggesting such matters are not dealt with “expeditiously” or with due care and attention. In 2014, 2015 and 2016, the PSC recommended 38, 52 and 29 officers be disciplined respectively.

Typically, the form of discipline involved extending a person’s probationary appointment. In 29 cases, the PSC recommended that someone be fired. However, the PSC said: “Despite the commission’s best efforts to advise the governor general on the discipline of public officers, it has seen its decisions overturned on several occasions. This was due mainly because proper procedures were not followed.”

Not unlike other institutions which must perform functions independent of political influence, such as the Office of the Auditor General, the PSC routinely makes a plea for “separate budgetary and staffing provisions” so it could more effectively do its job.

“The commission is confident that if it held control of its budget and staffing, the difficulties encountered could easily be overcome and the perception of the commission’s independence as envisaged in the constitution will be more fully observed,” the report said.

Critics have for years criticised the nominal role the PSC plays in recruitment exercises within the public service. Unlike some other commissions around the world, including the United Kingdom’s Civil Service Commission from which it is modeled, the PSC does not create policies that ensure appointments throughout the public sector are merit-based and advertised to all potential applicants. The commission’s role in Westminster countries has generally been to protect the public service from being used for political patronage. Nonetheless, the Minnis administration revealed that last year, a rash of hirings took place throughout the sector ahead of the May 2017 general election.