GOVERNMENT LEADS THE WAY AS NEW PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSFORMATION UNIT (PSTU) GETS GOING:

GOVERNMENT LEADS THE WAY AS NEW PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSFORMATION UNIT (PSTU) GETS GOING:

The new Public Sector Transformation Unit, (PSTU) which was announced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, to lead, monitor, evaluate and facilitate the implementation of the restructuring of the public sector for efficient, effective and economical growth, has been meeting to develop the strategic plan for implementation.

The PSTU started working on Monday, November 16, and has already created its strategic framework to deliver its mandate.

Former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Mrs. Sinclair McCalla is the CEO for the Unit. The PSTU has a mix of private and public sector specialists including Strategic Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations Consultant, Ward Mills; Business Process Re-engineering Consultant, Victor Brown; Project Management Specialist, formerly from the Office of the Prime Minister, Charmaine Nelson and Central Information Technology Office (CITO)-Systems Analyst, Marie Wint-McKenzie. A Consultative Monitoring Group has also been established to review and provide feedback to the PSTU and the sub-committee of the Cabinet on the strategic direction, progress of the restructuring process and on recommendations for improvements and/or changes in the public sector.

The PSTU also has on board government's Communications Consultant, Ian Boyne who has been brought in at the ground level to ensure a clear understanding of the direction the government intends to take in its review of all Ministries, Agencies and Public Bodies and to develop an effective communication programme.

Mrs. Sinclair McCalla has stated that while part of the mandate is to streamline the public sector to make it more cost effective, every effort will be made to deal sensitively with public sector employees. Programmes will be developed to re-deploy or re-direct persons who may be dislocated from their jobs. She said lending agencies such as the Development Bank of Jamaica and the Jamaica Business Development Centre will be playing their role in providing financial services, re-training, re-tooling and counseling. Critical to the success of its mandate will be extensive analyses and stakeholder consultations including the Trade Unions and the Opposition.

The PSTU CEO reiterated the Prime Minister's view that that the exercise ‘is a matter of restructuring government to be definitive in what it is about, efficient in what it does, less of a burden to the country's taxpayers and a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block to growth and development'.

VISION OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSFORMATION UNIT:
A transformed cohesive Public Sector that is performance- based, efficient, cost effective and service oriented.