March 6, 2002

 

Hon. P.J. Patterson

Prime Minister

Office of the Prime Minister

2a Devon Road

Kingston 6.

 

Dear Prime Minister,

 

Yet again the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers (JALGO) is forced to protest the lack of consultation by representatives of the Ministry of Local Government in matters affecting the operation of the various Local Authorities and ultimately the welfare of the staff of the Authorities.

 

JALGO is advised by members of staff in various Parish Councils that information has come to them via the grapevine that effective April 1, 2002 a programme of “twinning” of Councils will be implemented.  Further, that this process of twinning is for the expressed purpose of reducing administrative costs.

 

While JALGO understands the need for both Private and Public Sector entities to ensure that they operate efficiently, we must point out that the success rate for entities that embark on programmes to achieve greater efficiency, is to a large extent dependent on the level of consultation with stakeholders.

 

As a result of the lack of consultation and involvement of staff, many questions are now being asked that no one seems able to answer.  Chief among these are:-

 

1.                  How will this move affect staff?

2.                  How can “twinning” be implemented at the same time when the Parliament is accepting submissions on the Green Paper re “Regionalization of Councils”?

 

Certainly, the atmosphere of uncertainty that pervades Parish Councils now will only serve to reduce performance levels, thereby affecting efficiency.

 

 

 

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JALGO also wonders how a Government that claims that transparency and openness are its hallmarks, can allow one of its own (that is the Minister of Local Government) to constantly trample on the rights of staff and to disregard the guiding principles espoused by the Prime Minister himself.

 

Mr. Prime Minister your intervention is needed as a matter of urgency, as the current actions of the Ministry of Local Government represent a total disregard for your office as Prime Minister, the entire parliamentary process, the citizens of each Parish Council and the Kingston & St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) and the workers and their representatives.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

……………………………….

Helene Davis-Whyte (Mrs.)

GENERAL SECRETARY