Premier stresses need for accountability in public service
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has expressed hopes of making the public service more accountable as they execute their duties and strive to deliver on the territory’s nearly $400 million budget.
“Once you get the revenue and once you pass the budget, you have to be able to execute,” Premier Wheatley said in the House of Assembly recently.
He continued: “And we have to make sure that we have a system in the public service which holds persons accountable for delivering and have a results-outcomes-based performance management to ensure that we hit the targets.”
Premier Wheatley said the government has to ensure that there is a system in place that ensures whatever is outlined in the budget is delivered upon by the public service.
This is despite his concession that there is a need for more assistance and for more persons to be employed within the public service.
“But in addition to that, and this is something that we need to speak about, is public service transformation and the role that digitisation plays in that,” the Premier added.
“So, no, it’s not just about getting more bodies, but examining your processes… [and] making them more efficient and effective so you can make greater use of your human resource.”
According to Premier Wheatley, instead of having four persons do a particular job, just one person can do a job aided by technology and have the other three persons focus on other areas of need that there are calls for additional staff to do.
“Digitisation is very important. Not just digitisation but examining the processes. See where you can cut out the fat; where you have unnecessary duplication; replication of processes; where we’re making it difficult on our customers and our clients. Make it easier, you’ll collect more revenue,” the Premier said.
He continued: “And we have to make sure that we have a system in the public service which holds persons accountable for delivering and have a results-outcomes-based performance management to ensure that we hit the targets.”
Premier Wheatley said the government has to ensure that there is a system in place that ensures whatever is outlined in the budget is delivered upon by the public service.
This is despite his concession that there is a need for more assistance and for more persons to be employed within the public service.
“But in addition to that, and this is something that we need to speak about, is public service transformation and the role that digitisation plays in that,” the Premier added.
“So, no, it’s not just about getting more bodies, but examining your processes… [and] making them more efficient and effective so you can make greater use of your human resource.”
According to Premier Wheatley, instead of having four persons do a particular job, just one person can do a job aided by technology and have the other three persons focus on other areas of need that there are calls for additional staff to do.
“Digitisation is very important. Not just digitisation but examining the processes. See where you can cut out the fat; where you have unnecessary duplication; replication of processes; where we’re making it difficult on our customers and our clients. Make it easier, you’ll collect more revenue,” the Premier said.
