Dear Editor,
The time has come for us to revisit seriously the issue of how we engage consultants. We need to develop a framework within which consultants can be hired in this ever-increasing time of economic downturn. It cannot be business as usual for the hiring of support staff.
It is a well-established fact that governments worldwide do hire support staff to complement the efficient running of various departments and ministries. However, given our current economic problems, someone needs to put the brakes on the purse strings regarding the hiring of these high-priced consultants.
It is quite alarming that the PNP government has spent more than $250 million on consultancy fees since they took over the reins of government in January this year. Obviously, the issue of consultancy fees cuts across the political divide.
The JLP government paid close to $200 million of taxpayers' dollars during their four years in office. We need to remove the power from our politicians to hire support staff as they deem fit. Maybe it would be better if we put in place a bipartisan regulatory agency to oversee the hiring of consultants. By so doing we would remove the temptations by some politicians to hire only their friends and party supporters. Each minister of government who needs consultants would then be required to make such a request to this agency and then applicants from all cross sections of the society would have the opportunity to apply for the job. The best candidate would then be hired.
Not only should there be a salary limit regarding payments to consultants, but also public disclosure of their qualifications and experience after they are approved by this regulatory agency. We need to remove the doubt surrounding whether we are getting value in return for the payment of these exorbitant fees.
The consultants under the current system are not necessarily the best and most capable in their field. By changing the system we would create and foster a fairer society, a place of choice to live, work, raise families and socialise, a society where everyone, regardless of political affiliation would stand an equal chance of serving his country. What now exists is too political and divisive.
There is an urgent call on civil society, including the church, to speak out about this unfair and unjust system. The Jamaican politicians need to be reminded that they are elected to serve the people and not the other way around.
Wayne Campbell
waykam@yahoo.com
Change system of hiring consultants
-->
The time has come for us to revisit seriously the issue of how we engage consultants. We need to develop a framework within which consultants can be hired in this ever-increasing time of economic downturn. It cannot be business as usual for the hiring of support staff.
It is a well-established fact that governments worldwide do hire support staff to complement the efficient running of various departments and ministries. However, given our current economic problems, someone needs to put the brakes on the purse strings regarding the hiring of these high-priced consultants.
It is quite alarming that the PNP government has spent more than $250 million on consultancy fees since they took over the reins of government in January this year. Obviously, the issue of consultancy fees cuts across the political divide.
The JLP government paid close to $200 million of taxpayers' dollars during their four years in office. We need to remove the power from our politicians to hire support staff as they deem fit. Maybe it would be better if we put in place a bipartisan regulatory agency to oversee the hiring of consultants. By so doing we would remove the temptations by some politicians to hire only their friends and party supporters. Each minister of government who needs consultants would then be required to make such a request to this agency and then applicants from all cross sections of the society would have the opportunity to apply for the job. The best candidate would then be hired.
Not only should there be a salary limit regarding payments to consultants, but also public disclosure of their qualifications and experience after they are approved by this regulatory agency. We need to remove the doubt surrounding whether we are getting value in return for the payment of these exorbitant fees.
The consultants under the current system are not necessarily the best and most capable in their field. By changing the system we would create and foster a fairer society, a place of choice to live, work, raise families and socialise, a society where everyone, regardless of political affiliation would stand an equal chance of serving his country. What now exists is too political and divisive.
There is an urgent call on civil society, including the church, to speak out about this unfair and unjust system. The Jamaican politicians need to be reminded that they are elected to serve the people and not the other way around.
Wayne Campbell
waykam@yahoo.com
Change system of hiring consultants
-->