The Antigua and Barbuda government is introducing new accountability measures requiring ministers, permanent secretaries and senior public officials to submit written progress reports as part of a broader push to improve performance across government ministries.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said the initiative was discussed during the first Cabinet meeting following the April 30 general election victory of the Gaston Browne administration.
Merchant said Prime Minister Gaston Browne has made it clear that ministers will be expected to deliver measurable results and maintain higher standards of performance during the government’s new term.
“One of the methods implemented is closer collaboration with the leadership within each ministry, ensuring that leadership fits the purpose for which the ministry is designed,” Merchant said.
He said the Prime Minister specifically stressed that ministers of state “are not on a free ride” and must perform in keeping with the expectations of the public.
Under the new system, ministers and senior officials will no longer rely solely on verbal Cabinet updates but will instead be required to formally document the status of projects and government initiatives.
“Updates, progress reports on particular projects and the implementation of certain projects will now be required to be placed in writing by ministers and ministers of state, permanent secretaries, other leadership within government ministries,” Merchant said.
According to Merchant, the Prime Minister believes the overwhelming mandate secured by the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party has raised public expectations for faster and more effective delivery across government.
“He will be on the heels of all of his ministers to ensure that all of them perform at the highest level of expectations,” Merchant added.
The government has repeatedly stated that accountability and delivery will be major priorities during its fourth consecutive term in office.
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Hopefully this administration will include “financial” reports as well that’ll negate the need for the ever enquiring public for TOTAL transparency in governance.
IS THAT A PIG 🐖 MI JUST SEE FLY OVER MI YARD?
Good idea
Will Ministers and Officials be held culpable for falsified reports? What will be the penalties? With this be made public? For instance what about all the lies that Melford has been feeding Cabinet and the country about water delivery? The Minister, GM and Water Managers need to be held accountable.
And at Inland Revenue too. Where they sit on their bottoms and hope taxes will arrive. My bee in my bonnet is the millions being lost via Air B&Bs in English Harbour where some properties rent per night more than Jumby Bay and pay nothing.
Will the opposition members have access to them and with time to review them?
But isn’t this suppose to be a given?
These News syndicate’s spites out these type of rhetorical stories like they are big news.smdh.
Isn’t this type of attention to details was supposed to be a part of any governing body, especially those who are hired to produce and be transparent?
At least I’m glad after all these years, someone in this administration realize their responsibility to the voting public and the citizenry at large, young and old.
This type of lackadaisical effort by many in the work force, is what just bugs me for years when coming back home. If you are paid to do a job, stop acting likes it is a burden to do it to the best of your abilities.
Many of these people are way too nonchalant in their approach to service..it’s called “public service” for a reason. It’s not a right, it’s a privilege.
This ABLP administration is a JOKE. You mean after 12 years this system of written reports is only now being introduced??? This is standard practice in any modern system of governance. What about setting performance objectives for Ministries and Boards? Hopefully that will also be done in writing and will incorporate the 100+ promises made to the people of Antigua and Barbuda during the elections..
In the private sector this is normal. Managers are required to submit monthly reports to management. But the public sector has no such demand on their senior public servants. By raising the bar the PM has now demanded a higher level of performance from them. I once again call on the PM to call also on the statutory bodies and the state owned corporation to submit written reports to the Cabinet. Many CFO’s are delinquent in submitting quarterly reports to the Financial Secretary and that without consequences. I had ask then that the PM sent the then junior minister Lenox Weston to hold them accountable. This never happened. It is sad to see that many of the SOE and the SC are years behind in providing audited financial statements and nothing is done to remedy that. My question is, why the hell do we pay these high price accountants for? Bit the government gets the blame of not laying down the audited financials of these corporation in parliament. I guess they feel that if central government is tardy so can they. PM please take note and in the sphere of good corporate governance demand some accountability.
@Less We Forget. Well said. The PM should also remove the party hacks from the boards and start appointing people based on merit.
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