New members of the Anguilla Public Service participated in induction orientation held on Tuesday, March 19th and Wednesday, March 20th, at the conference room of the Ministry of Finance. The group of twenty-one recruits was lectured to by officers of the Public Administration Department.
Acting Director of Public Administration, Mrs. Charmaine Rogers, introduced to the group the portfolios and responsibilities of the various Ministers of Government and their Permanent Secretaries. She also briefed them on the role of Her Excellency the Governor, Julia Crouch, as well as the Deputy Governor, Perin Bradley. In addition, she instructed them as to how they should address these individuals.
With regard to the abovementioned dignitaries, she told the new civil servants “As ordinary public servants, we have a role to play in making the work of these officials effective. Whatever we do will impact their functions. When you go back to your posts, therefore, make sure that you put in your all and be as productive as you can be because what you do will enable these individuals to succeed in what they do.”
Human Resource Management and Development Officer, Mrs. Maria Hughes, described all that goes into the recruitment of public servants. She referred to recruitment as “the process of finding and hiring the best, qualified candidates from within or outside of an organization to fill a job vacancy in a timely and cost effective manner.”
Mrs. Hughes told the recruits that the body responsible for hiring them was not Public Administration – it only facilitated the recruitment process.
“It is the Public Service Commission (PSC) which was responsible for doing the hiring. The PSC approved the responses from your interviews, and based upon your qualifications, this body has appointed you to the service only after the Deputy Governor signed off on your appointment,” she said.
She stressed the importance of striving towards the confirmation of a position of permanence within the public service now that they have been appointed to their respective posts. She said that confirmation comes through hard work and diligence on the job.
“In order to be confirmed in your position, you must do your work properly, watch your behavior and watch your attitude,” she cautioned.
She also addressed the issue of mobility, which is the movement of individuals from a lower level job to a higher level position. “In the public service,” she said, “one can be promoted or seconded. However, advancement on the job comes essentially by taking the initiative to do tasks without leaving them for someone else to do.”
“Whatever area you are engaged in, do you best to be as active as possible in that area, so you can reach to the top and be ahead of your game. You are encouraged to develop yourselves,” she advised.
“We are hoping [for] the best for you,” Mrs. Hughes told the new civil servants. “Our expectations are that you achieve a better understanding of the Anguilla Public Service. Be aware of the position or the job title that you hold, and recognize your role in assisting your Department and the Anguilla Public Service as a whole to achieve its objectives.”
Other topical sessions at the two-day meetings included lectures on “Social Security and You”, “Expectations of Public Officers”, “Professionalism in the Workplace”, “Human Bingo”, “Compensation and Benefits”, “You and Your Finances”, and “Cherishing your Golden Years”.
Certificates were issued at the end of Wednesday’s meeting.
