BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE culture of individuals bypassing Government middle managers and making requests to see a ministers to get their issues resolved has to be changed and mechanisms available to deal with those issues must be allowed to work, according to Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.
Yesterday (Mar. 15) at his monthly press conference, Dr. Harris was questioned by a journalist about a man who claimed to have had an appointment to meet with him since December, 2015.
According to the journalist’s account, the man indicated that thus far the meeting has not materialised.
Prime Minister Harris’ response addressed the need for a change in mindset and for a proper understanding of how the system works.
“I think we have a responsibility to educate and to get people appreciate how a government functions. The Prime Minister not going to say, ‘Well, I see you in two days or three days.’ There are functionaries which should be able to do that and do that satisfactorily.
“But the more critical point…is there a need for this man or any other citizen to see the Prime Minister on a particular matter? The Prime Minister is not the only person with service to the public! And I made the point that the model which we are operating in is a Westminster model and we have ministries where the work has been – as it were – allocated to people and for people to function. Ultimately, it is the job of the Prime Minister, where people are not functioning, to reshuffle the Cabinet and to put people who can deliver.”
The Prime Minister suggested that perhaps the journalist – with whom the man spoke - should have questioned him about his reason for needing to meet with him. And after that information would have been gathered, the journalist should have pointed him to the particular minister or permanent secretary who would most-likely be able to assist.
“…A lot of times we have people believing that to get a problem solved in sports, they have to see the Hon. Shawn Richards. Not under this government! We are wanting the people to understand the system and to go through the system where the functionaries are being held account(able). When the gentleman reaches to me, unless it’s a matter of life or death, he must be able to say that I went to Mr. DeSuza and Mr.DeSuza was unwilling or unable to help.”
He explained that functionaries should not be unnecessarily taken from attending to significant policy matters to deal with operational matters when there are individuals employed to deal with said matters.
“And so we have systems! If anyone wants to see the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister isn’t available, there is a permanent secretary, there is a cabinet secretary, there are personal assistants. But sometimes people, because of the way they have been conditioned, (believe) that everything must be a politician to do it for you. We have to begin as part of our duty as citizens to say to people, ‘No, that’s not the way, that is not necessary.’ We have to again try to help people to help themselves, because long after we have gone, if people do not know where to go when they have particular needs, you would not have advanced them.”
Dr. Harris expressed that he and his colleagues are available to meet with individuals, but noted that “we want the system to work…Anything a minister can do some civil servant in Government must be able to do.
“…We have to be able to let systems work, and where the systems are not working it becomes the responsibility of those at the top to make the necessary changes.”
