Government Targets Abuse of Sick Leave in Public Sector Reform Push
The Gaston Browne administration is preparing to take decisive action against the abuse of sick leave and absenteeism within the public sector, as part of a broader push to reform and professionalise government operations.
During the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant confirmed that the issue of chronic absenteeism was a central focus of this week’s Cabinet meeting, which also included senior public servants and union representatives.
Merchant revealed that reports of individuals being absent from work for nearly 100 days in a single year had alarmed the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet. The Prime Minister questioned why such conduct had not been addressed and challenged permanent secretaries to exercise the authority provided to them under the public service regulations.
“The Prime Minister indicated to permanent secretaries that they must act on these cases. The perception that individuals are protected politically should not deter disciplinary action,” Merchant said. “Heads of departments are required to deal with staff who are ineffective and not taking their responsibilities seriously.”
The Cabinet also discussed the broader goal of instilling private-sector principles such as performance-based accountability into the public service. According to Merchant, the aim is to eliminate the culture where “anything goes” and create a unified public sector with clearly defined expectations.
A forthcoming “outcome document on performance improvement” is expected to guide the reform process. While details are still being finalised, the Cabinet expects immediate progress, with permanent secretaries scheduled to return next week to submit both their challenges and proposed solutions.
Merchant further noted that the University of the West Indies, in partnership with Harvard University, will be developing mandatory public management training modules for senior officials. Completion of these programmes may eventually be linked to promotion within the service.
The announcement follows recent public complaints about inefficiency and inconsistent service delivery across several government departments. The government now appears keen to signal a zero-tolerance approach to underperformance.
“Not taking responsibilities seriously only affects one group — the general public,” Merchant said. “And they deserve better.”
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Start with immigration.
Was about time. Just wasting money. Taking sick leave for any simple thing. Lazy scunt.
They are right
Oh
Oh my! after the same government forced it’s employees to take poison and most of the workers are suffering so. Oh my! REAL SAD.
Well said,i honestly believe that public sectors workers need to take their jobs more seriously, because when they fail,this affects the government performance…
This is all talk and will never happen. These are their constituents and they are not there to work. They are there to get money to ensure their vote. And none better than none. UPP did the same thing.
Just so that people know, there is a difference between ‘sick-leave’ and ‘absenteeism’.
“The perception that individuals are protected politically should not deter disciplinary action,” Merchant said.
It is a perception? As Sir Lester Bird would say, somebody needs to get real
“The Cabinet also discussed the broader goal of instilling private-sector principles such as performance-based accountability into the public service”.
This sounds soooooo good but what about the other part that speaks to ‘timely’ private sector pay based on performance?
If people don’t know what they are talking about they should just…….
Hmm, 100 days is extreme, if that is true. That being said, the laws should be amended to allow for other types of non-vacation paid leave such as a few days of PTO (Personal Time Off) per year without being sick. Sometimes people have other emergencies e.g. car breaks down, a family issue e.g. sick child or children’s school event they wish to attend. Or even water was off all week and need a couple of hours to fill some containers or do some laundry lol or it’s the day after a storm and repairs or cleanup at home is needed. It shouldn’t be necessary to fill out a bunch of forms etc. if a person needs a day here or there during the year for non-sick issues. It should be possible to tend to emergencies without losing actual sick days or pay that is needed to fix the problem at home or wherever.
About damn time, but the Lickspittle Brigade might not take too kindly to that, you will be taking away one of the privilege and you know that’s what the live for just ask Faithful National #1
It’s understood that people over do but what happen if people really sick?
It is about damnnnnn time. Government workers are the worse!! Most of the think that once they are in that they cannot be fired and every minute they are sick or not reporting for work, but make the end of the month come and salaries are late, they are the first to be heard.
Too many people in Antigua want a job for others to be taking their for granted.
If you need time off that’s not vacation time why should someone else pay for you! Grow up realize there isnt a free lunch. You don’t work you don’t get paid. Very simple. Don’t like it, start your own business and be the boss. But stop asking for other people to pay for your life.
When workers, both in the private and public sector, are abusing the system and the union does not publicly condemn their behavior and on top of this the politicians are afraid from losing votes then what do you want their bosses to do. In the private sector the employer usualy end op with a lenghty industrial court case and in the public sector those peoplem are refered to the untouchable, becasue the minister send them. Politicians are blackmailed with their votes. You may publicly hear people treathening the minister saying, “come next election me gone vote you out”. This worries politicians. Now the Prime Minister has won many elections already and therefore losing one may not be of his concern. But the ones just coming in office fear this threat from their voters. Perhaps we should start taking the hiring process completely out of the hands of politicians. And by doing so the firing process as well. Some department are saddled with politcal appointees. Not one worker has been employed because of their qualification. All because of who they know. When will the government introduce an appraisal system in the government. Only then can the PM get the public sector to perform and people getting value for their tax dollars. When a custom officer can frustrate even the entire cabinet it is simply unacceptable. Where is the Comptroller of Custom to ensure that that officer is disciplined and do his job properly. No prime minister should be involved directly with the line staff. He should have called the Comptroller and demand he deal with this rightaway. The line staff is not on his level. And should not be engaged at all.
So when you don’t call sick for the year when you have sick days what happening to that money some hotel give there staff and for don’t