A large percentage of the Public Service has joined the ranks of the working poor in Anguilla.
As many will recall, following a 50% increase in the salaries for politicians and senior civil servants and small increases in salaries for the lower level civil servants, there was a need to cut salaries across the board for politicians and all civil servants. This cut in salary came as a consequence of the economic crisis facing Anguilla – a crisis due in part to the global economic downturn, but more so because of bad decisions made by the AUF Government.
The negative impact that these salary cuts have had on public servants is not one that our government, past and present, should be proud of. Compounding the impact of the salary cuts is the fact that public servants, like most of us, have also been subjected to paying all of the increased and additional taxes like the stabilisation tax, property tax, tax on gasoline, the environmental tax on electricity bills, telecommunication tax and the increased price of food and other consumer products due to increases in duties and other customs administrative charges.
This has placed some public servants, including Permanent Secretaries, in the category of the working poor. This is not good for morale and productivity in the Public Service and needs to be addressed urgently. While we should all try to understand the plight of the island, and be patriotic, at the end of the day when people cannot meet the financial obligations that they were able to meet prior to the salary cuts – and the tax increases – it presents a major problem for themselves and their families.
In recent times we hear of cases where some public servants have no discretionary spending money after paying their normal and regular expenses. Some of them claim that they cannot even afford to buy a “malt to drink”. If there is a personal or family emergency requiring a few hundred dollars, that money has to be borrowed. Many of them claim that before 2009 they had savings which no longer exist. Some of them are unable to meet their tax obligations. Moreover, today some public servants are defaulting on their obligations to the bank and elsewhere. This is a major issue that must be addressed.
This crisis among the public servants is unhealthy for a body comprising the largest workforce on the island. Public servants total roughly 1,300 workers. The impact this is having on morale and productivity cannot be ignored. The matter needs to be dealt with sensitively and urgently. There is a clinical psychologist by the name of Frederick Hertzberg who says that when one touches what he describes as the “hygiene factors” it affects productivity and morale. So, while money might not be a “satisfier” or a motivator, the lack of money “dissatisfies” and “de-motivates”.
This de-motivation is reinforced when the public servants see themselves sacrificing so much, and money is being misused in some areas of government. One thing for sure, that many of them find disturbing is the amount of travel by ministers of Government, especially the Chief Minister, without justification for the travel being given to the general public – and no report being given to the public as to what was achieved for Anguilla while traveling. The other issue with respect to the frequency of travel is the amount of money Ministers of Government get for everyday that they are off island on Government business. A Minister of Government could get in excess of U.S. $500.00 per day for everyday spent off island. Of course, this does not include incidentals like taxes or taxi fares which are separate. What many people on the island are aware of is that some of our officials don’t use the per diem while traveling as, at times, they stay with family and friends. Additionally, some meals like breakfast and lunch are often provided at most of the conferences and meetings. In reality, then, there is no need for our Ministers of Government to be given such a large per diem. Let me just state that this daily travel allowance has nothing to do with their salary.
The other matter that frustrates many public servants and citizens alike is the fact that Ministers of Government spend so much time traveling. This frustration is one that is reasonable. When our ministers are absent from the island, as often as they are, some of the critical matters that need addressing are delayed or never addressed.
We need swift and deliberate action to recover the failed economy. We simply need to get the ball rolling. If this were to be done government would have the necessary inflow of revenue to restore public servants’ salaries and compensate them for the back pay owed. Unfortunately, it does not appear that the Government is doing much to help to recover the economy and, as such, the issues faced by public servants cannot be addressed and are not being addressed.
While the Government is likely to play politics and claim that the economy is recovering, and it is doing so as a result of what it has done, it is the view of many that what we are experiencing in Anguilla is a ripple effect of the economic recovery outside of Anguilla. Such a perspective makes logical sense. If a downturn in the world economy can cause our economy to plummet then marginal improvements in the world economy is likely to have the opposite effect on our economy. So yes, we will see some improvement in our economy overtime as the world economy recovers, especially the economy of the North America and Europe. However, the same problem that we had prior to the downturn is the same problem we will have coming out of the downturn. We need to diversify our economy. Simply relying on tourism, exclusively, is not enough to ensure the stability of Anguilla’s economy as we look to the future. Even our current approach to tourism promotion is seriously lacking.
A Dove Party government will recognize the public service as one of the most valuable human resource body of professionals on Anguilla, and will treat it as such. Public servants need to be respected and to be motivated to deliver to Anguilla with a high measure of love, dedication, efficiency, professionalism and patriotism. In order for them to be able to deliver at this level they need to be treated fairly, i.e. their salaries need to be restored, they need to get their back pay, the workplace needs to be conducive for high performance, all public servants need to be respected, the environment needs to be transparent, among other things. According to Frederick Hertzberg, the things that motivate employees are achievement, advancement, development, etc. The DOVE party is ready to work with the Governor and Deputy Governor to build a modern, strong, highly motivated and productive Public Service, and a transparent environment where everyone is respected, appreciated and empowered.
Ministers in a DOVE party government will revisit the per diem paid to ministers and Permanent Secretaries when traveling overseas, with a view to introducing credit cards. Expense claims supported by proper receipts will be submitted after each trip. The expense claims will be audited randomly to check for fraud and/or abuse. Additionally, maximum reasonable and customary spending guidelines while traveling will be established. This approach is already standard in many public and private sector establishments around the world. The DOVE party believes that this approach will save the island a lot of much needed money and allow for greater accountability.
The Dove party is also aware that some public servants want to leave the service before reaching the age of retirement for one reason or another. A DOVE party government believes that if a public servant wants to leave the service, a creative way must be found to facilitate that move and allow him/her to get on with his/her life. The DOVE Party is fundamentally opposed to forced redundancy of anyone in the Public Service. This is particularly true in the current economic climate where jobs are not available in the private sector. However, the DOVE party does not think that people wanting to leave the Public Service should be prevented from doing so, and where a separation package can be granted, it should be granted.
Finally, the DOVE party is committed to taking deliberate steps to achieve economic expansion and economic diversification immediately upon coming to office. We recognise that this must be done in a sensitive, systematic and sustainable way. We believe that the only way the goals of the Public Service can be achieved is with a sustainable and progressive economy, an expanded private sector and empowered public servants.
The DOVE party would like all Public Servants to have a look at the video on www.ted.com entitled: “How to Educate Leaders” by Patrick Awuah. We all need to work together as Anguillians and residents of Anguilla to build a strong sustainable island. Our watch words must be: Collaboration and Win-Win.
May God bless us all, and may God bless Anguilla.
