MINISTRIES IN REVOLT
By Former Government Officer
Several high-ranking government officers and Permanent Secretaries are overwhelmed with their new responsibilities with additional Ministries dumped on their already burdened Ministers.
Some are having problems restraining the arbitrariness of their Statutory bodies, who have been used over the years as a side bank account for their Ministry’s short falls and indiscriminate spending.
Curbing the enthusiasm of the newly appointed Board Members, and the promised largess to constituent workers by the elected Ministers, with the high paying job postings to others, (which are not included in the budget,) all are causing some Public Service officers great stress.
The Ministry of Aviation and its relationship with its Statutory body Antigua Barbuda Airport Authority is causing real concern among their operators, especially as airports demand balance, and the war between Ministry officers and ABAA management is being covered up.
The Minister who is a novice at Airport management and Aviation as a whole, has suddenly found himself in a bit of a quandary, maneuvering the maze of airport errors and violations which his predecessor left unattended.
The Airport Authority (ABAA) have been able to ignore ICAO Rules and Regulations, replacing them with their own misguided procedures to protect those with deep pockets in business aviation.
The corruption that everyone knows exists in the various Ministries and Statutory bodies, are part of the trickle down effect of Ministers, who have been given authorization to enrich themselves.
The new administration has given their procurement officers enough time through Public Works, APUA, Ministry of Finance(exemptions), to build their Apartments & Office Complexes from the Government housing excesses.
They have now replaced those involved, a new batch of procurement officers are now positioned for their enrichment.
Sharing and breaking up the Ministries has forced a scurry of document shuffling, which is sending junior staff into realization of unauthorized activity in their Ministry, of which they have been unaware.
This additional work, and the confusion emanating from the trickledown of questionable activity, is not the best platform for young enterprising persons to be trained into being a servant of the people.
The government needs to take time out to renew their commitment to the people, by peeling off the covers of the politicians enrichment schemes, and business entanglements with the wealthy persons in our country, and retire into the sunset, if the law permits them to spend their ill-gotten gains.
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I am in total agreement with this article.
You agree. Good. And then what?
Don’t you see the situation is now at crisis level and the need to call for a total boycott by these civil servants before things become unbearable and they end up getting all the blame?
The country is now at lock down level. But plenty people are hoping things will get better by themselves. Good luck with that
There are some poignant phrases in this, what I think, is a well-written, revealing letter.
“arbitrariness of their Statutory bodies, who have been used over the years as a side bank account for their Ministry’s short falls and indiscriminate spending.”
This is an indictment against this self- enriching ALP administration. Let’s not forget shortly after this idiot took office he raped medical benefit of 27 million,and when asked about repayment, declared that it was a ,”grant.” The monies in statuary boards belong to the people, not Gaston Browne.
“realization of unauthorized activity in their Ministry.”
“The government needs to take time out to renew their commitment to the people, by peeling off the covers of the politicians enrichment schemes, and business entanglements with the wealthy persons in our country.
Wow,wow,wow. This country is rotten to the core.
Well this letter is well written but this has been going on as far back as Lester, then Baldwin and now Gaston.
This is nothing new. It’s just the monster showing its ugly head AGAIN
Just remember University of the West Indies (UWI) just gave Gaston Brown a Legacy Award. If the very institution who are supposed to be producing leaders and be exemplary of leadership awards Gaston for his stewardship; how can anyone expect better.
I am among those who thinks most of the Caribbean is a mess, with the very same people who puts it there, spend their time patting themselves on the back.
It always a laugh when I hear catch phrases such as knowledge-based economy.
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