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
@James Brown. If a worker is salaried not hourly they will get the work done whether they take a day off for an emergency or not. They might do some of it from home, come in extra early, leave extra late, or work more efficiently they next day. So, they would be paid for work done not hours spent sitting at their desk or wherever. The point of PTO days is that they are more honest. People wouldn’t pretend that they are sick or just claim a mental health day as they might do now. Finally, slavery is over. This notion that people should be chained to their desk from sunup to sundown unless bedridden is frankly very colonial.
Antigua government bitter nf! Revise your system hoe! Ppl only allowed sick 12 days a year? That’s crazy. Who punishes the government?
Not all government offices offer have insurance coverage . Think about this while ya’ll at it
100 days in one year?? Tawl! Dat ah over-do 😂
I mean, there’s a point in the article but some of these Government Officers are disgusting. Poor ventilation, mold in the roof, dust in every corner of your work area, uncomfortable seating and you expect what exactly from the employees? Not to mention the restrooms, the kitchen 🤮 The supervisors and managers come in and have their nice clean offices to sit in and the poor workers get the ***** end of the stick. If I’m SICK, I’m calling in sick or taking leave, SIMPLE. If my feet hurts and I’m ordered by my Dr to stay home, I’m staying the hell home. Some of these Managers and Supervisors wicked enough to see an employee not doing so well and still expect the most. So, sickleave!
I know of someone on sick-leave for well over a year and some, almost knocking TWO years. Me wonder if she til ha she job 😂
Some employees are struggling with sickness and make it to work EVERYDAY and for some Mangers or Supervisors it’s an issue of asked to leave for the rest of the day. So I can’t blame persons for wanting to just take the leave and proceed back to work as for some, yes Aru really abuse sick-leave. Exceeding over 6mths-1 year and on social media living your best life? Ok that needs to be dealt with
Not minimizing what our ancestors went through but work conditions these days are rapidly approaching slave-like conditions. People are expected to work without tools, work in unhealthy buildings, work without adequate additional staff support, work with undermining co-workers putting obstacles in their way daily and trting to find things to report to massa (bosses), work with bullying mangers, are expected to meet impossible deadlines given the resources available, are not allowed to voice an opinion, just be told what to do by people who know less about their work than they do, get paid a pittance barely enough to buy food – in fact cannot afford a full healthy diet leading to some illness, not paid enough to afford decent housing, have to spend personal funds on work supplies, can’t afford real vacations, not allowed significant time with family, not trusted to leave the compound for any good reason otherwise they are chased by the blood hounds emotionally whipped by the overseers (general public). Meanwhile all the good of the land is being sold out to others. Perhaps it’s time we give each local person who doesn’t have a quarter acre and a mule or something so they can finally be free and independent. Just rambling… Carry on with the sick day considerations…
The ideal workplace should have a team environment (not a dictatorial or slavery-like environment) where managers and workers work together enthusiastically towards clearly defined goals. Progress is made daily as different objectives are met step by step. The workload is reasonable and persons are judged fairly by meeting objectives not only by time spent on site. All team members are consulted when decisions are being made. Team members are sometimes trusted to head up small projects in their area of expertise. Time off is realistic reflecting the other obligations persons have such as family, important social projects etc. from time to time. Flexible working arrangements can be made whenever needed. Just my opinion.
@not a slave
most workers are not salaried. most jobs cant be done from home. the 12 sick days a year is there to cover a physical or mental day. If you cant cope with that then maybe the universe is telling you to get a new career. PTO = vacation days but i think there is a fallacacy that you should get vacation days and extra PTO , they are one in the same.. Antigua law is 1 per month mininum. however i think most places after 5-7 years give 18+ days .
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