(Third from left) Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart shares a light moment with awardee Dame Patricia Symmonds, as he prepares to pose for a photograph with the 50 honourees.
THE Public Service has come in for high praise from the Minister of the Public Service, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart.
Delivering the feature address yesterday morning at the launch of the 50th Independence Anniversary Special Edition of the Office of Public Sector Reform’s ‘Challenge to Change’ magazine, and an awards ceremony to honour 50 former public servants for the work done during their tenure at the Hilton Hotel, PM Stuart maintained that Barbados owes a “huge debt of gratitude” to the Public Service, as past and present workers have made an invaluable and immeasurable contribution, not only to the public sector, but to the building and development of the nation. He said that they have risen to the challenge of preparing Barbados to successfully traverse “the unfamiliar and sometimes treacherous waters which being a sovereign state necessitates”.
In fact, he contended that the Public Service has also played a significant role in helping Barbados to develop a strong international reputation, and has been instrumental in helping to nurture the relationship between the Government, the private sector and the trade unions within the context of the Social Partnership.
“This cohort of people has rendered selfless service, sometimes at much personal sacrifice, and frequently in a context of exacting challenges,” he said.
But despite all that, he lamented, that body of workers, while subject to some constructive criticism from time to time, has also had to endure unjustified criticism from persons, who he said have a limited understanding of the public service procedures.
“They would have ignored the fact that on occasions too numerous to quantify, you would have gone beyond the call of duty, sometimes in the still watches of the night, to make sure that deadlines, even seemingly impossible ones, were met, always in the process paying attention to detail in order to ensure that the desired outcomes were achieved,” he said.
The Prime Minister added, “I urge the current permanent secretaries and the heads of departments and leader of statutory corporation, to continue to pursue the highest professional standards, embracing the positive features of our practice; identifying the negative features of that practice; and seeking solutions and improvements where and whenever necessary.”
Moreover, he urged them to lead by example and to encourage those they lead, to follow the professional standards which have been created by the 50 honourees. He made the point as he said that their efforts are needed in advancing the further development of this country, and ensuring that in the 50 years of nationhood that are to come, that the country can see the vision of being a society that is socially balanced, economically viable, environmentally sound and characterised by good governance, come to fruition. (JRT)