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Urgent public sector reform needed

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Dear Editor,

As we move to reform the public sector, let us as a nation not be deceived into believing that cutting cost, by any means, will automatically translate into greater efficiency.

Cost must not be looked upon as an absolute; instead, let us view cost in the context of its correlation to net output. In that way, the public sector can be re-calibrated so as to achieve a greater level of productivity. If such level of productivity is to be reached, two things are of paramount importance:

1) There needs to be a realignment of qualifications with job responsibility within the public sector. Competent people need to be elevated to top slots where strategic decisions are taken, and such vacancies should not be reserved for senior employees — as is the case with most government agencies. Future succession plans must be based on merits and not on length of employment or political affiliation.

2) A more efficient and effective process of collecting, organising and analysing primary data must be put in place. Statistical information is the basis of quality management and process improvement. Most managers within the public sector are too complacent to expend long hours scouring data, searching for trends and patterns. A manager devoid of empirical evidence is equally devoid of solution to our low productivity problems.

Urgently, the public sector is in dire need of a radical transformation.

Oniel Edwards

Oniel_rohan@yahoo.com

Urgent public sector reform needed

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