Councillor Certica Williams-Orr, Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Chief Secretary, recently addressed issues plaguing the public service during an interview on the morning segment of “Beneath the Surface.”
Councillor Certica Williams-Orr is responsible for overseeing public administration and the implementation of policies from both the Central Government and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). During her appearance, she candidly discussed the current challenges faced within the public service.
Williams-Orr expressed concerns about productivity issues in certain areas of the public service, attributing them to factors such as punctuality and irregular attendance among employees. She emphasized that administrators and department heads are equipped to handle these issues and stressed the importance of addressing them at the initial levels. However, she acknowledged that if problems persist, further disciplinary actions may become necessary.
Highlighting the framework for performance management, Williams-Orr referred to the guidelines outlined in the public service regulations. She addressed instances where public servants have complained about receiving poor performance grades without prior notification or feedback throughout the reporting period. According to her, such practices are against established protocols, which require ongoing feedback and communication regarding performance deficiencies.
Williams-Orr clarified that any objections to performance appraisals should be documented within the Performance Appraisal Report (PAR) itself. She emphasized that officers should review their reports before they are finalized and signed by the evaluating officer, thereby eliminating the need for seeking external sympathy after the fact.
Regarding disciplinary actions, Williams-Orr advocated for a progressive approach where deficiencies are first addressed verbally and then in writing if necessary. She underscored the importance of fairness and transparency in handling performance-related issues within the public service.
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