Tweet
The new police chief, fiscal deficit and Horace Barber
Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The premature retirement of Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas has placed the Jamaica Constabulary Force in a crisis. The question is whether to promote an officer in the force as commissioner or to bring in someone from outside, which would of course leave many disgruntled Jamaican officers. There are four deputy commissioners and one expatriate deputy commissioner, Mark Shields.
It is necessary to point out that since independence in 1962, all the Jamaican commissioners who came up from the ranks have one thing in common. They suffered from the squaddie and friendship syndrome. They overlooked shortcomings by their squad mates and friends who are now officers, undermining discipline and competence, recommended many to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for promotion beyond their level of competence.
The high command failed to address the matters of widespread abuse by the police against citizens in any meaningful way and failed to take action against corruption in the force. Although Thomas frequently spoke out against widespread corruption, the syndrome will not end until someone is brought from outside to curb it.
There is a large degree of pettiness in the officer rank. Right now, supervisors have substantially lost control of the force as most members know what has been taking place and intimidate some officers. The commissioner needs no more power than he now has. Retirement of a member of the force in the public interest is the domain of the PSC, which makes recommendation to the governor-general based on reports submitted by the commissioner.
Over the years, I have found Thomas trustworthy, and since he became commissioner he carried out many significant improvements in the operations of the force, but was unable to get on top of police brutality and extra-judicial killings.
The new commissioner must use his power to deal with offenders. It should be noted that in respect to disciplinary matters, including dismissal, the PSC is responsible for instituting proceedings against members of the force at or above the rank of inspector.
The commissioner is responsible for instituting proceedings against those below the rank of inspector. Those above can be dismissed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the PSC. But all action taken must be in conformity with police regulations.
$15.4b expenditure not provided for in budget
When the news broke that there was a $15.4-billion deficit in this fiscal year, the impression was given that it was an off-budget expenditure which did not meet the approval of Parliament.
In previous years, there have been off-budget expenditures which represented mal-governance in fiscal affairs.
The amount this year was not off-budget expenditure as originally thought, but the budget presentation by the previous government in the election year made no provision for certain items. "We have identified several items of non-discretionary expenditure that were not clearly budgeted for in this fiscal year amounting to some $15.4 billion," says Audley Shaw, finance minister. These include a shortfall on teachers' salaries of $2,877 million, hospital fee exemption for children 18 years of age and under, which was announced in the middle of the general election campaign - $560 million; pension backlog of $1,120 million and Lift Up Jamaica Programme - $1,000 million.
Shaw said that the Government is committed to ensuring fiscal discipline and avoiding any significant deviation from the fiscal targets. Several measures that are necessary to deal with the unexpected overhaul within the fiscal parameters in which the budget can be cast have been identified. The matter will be corrected in the coming supplementary estimates.
Horace Barber was a financial genius
Such deviation as what happened in the $15.4-billion budget vacuum would not have taken place during Horace Barber's time as financial secretary. Barber died in Canada last week. The post of financial secretary is the most critical in the public service. Apart from being responsible for Government's revenue and expenditure, the financial secretary has to advise the minister of finance and planning. He cannot be a "yes minister" official.
Sometimes he has to save the minister from himself, and in so doing save the country from financial and economic woes. These were the characteristics of two great financial secretaries, G Arthur Brown who died many years ago, and Barber.
Serious matters like breaching the Jamaica Constitution in financial transactions, like what the Ministry of Finance and Planning did under the leadership of Omar Davies in the previous PNP administration, would not have happened under Barber. As financial secretary, Barber also headed the public service, and permanent secretaries could depend on him to defend them against over-zealous ministers. Things changed dramatically when the cabinet secretary became head of the public service in the last PNP administration and fell under the direct influence of the prime minister.
Barber's tenure as governor of the Bank of Jamaica was remarkable. He performed best when his back was against the wall and was never afraid to explain the situation thoroughly and simply. As alternate executive director of the World Bank he strongly argued the case for Jamaica, the Caribbean and developing countries for development funds.
There was a close relationship between our two families going back for more than 40 years. A great deal of what I know about the economic and financial parameters can be attributed to the frequent on-the-record and off-the-record discussions we had when I headed the Jamaica Information Service's editorial department. He was a financial genius and was awarded the Order of Jamaica for his outstanding contribution to Jamaica's development.
Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The premature retirement of Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas has placed the Jamaica Constabulary Force in a crisis. The question is whether to promote an officer in the force as commissioner or to bring in someone from outside, which would of course leave many disgruntled Jamaican officers. There are four deputy commissioners and one expatriate deputy commissioner, Mark Shields.
It is necessary to point out that since independence in 1962, all the Jamaican commissioners who came up from the ranks have one thing in common. They suffered from the squaddie and friendship syndrome. They overlooked shortcomings by their squad mates and friends who are now officers, undermining discipline and competence, recommended many to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for promotion beyond their level of competence.
The high command failed to address the matters of widespread abuse by the police against citizens in any meaningful way and failed to take action against corruption in the force. Although Thomas frequently spoke out against widespread corruption, the syndrome will not end until someone is brought from outside to curb it.
There is a large degree of pettiness in the officer rank. Right now, supervisors have substantially lost control of the force as most members know what has been taking place and intimidate some officers. The commissioner needs no more power than he now has. Retirement of a member of the force in the public interest is the domain of the PSC, which makes recommendation to the governor-general based on reports submitted by the commissioner.
Over the years, I have found Thomas trustworthy, and since he became commissioner he carried out many significant improvements in the operations of the force, but was unable to get on top of police brutality and extra-judicial killings.
The new commissioner must use his power to deal with offenders. It should be noted that in respect to disciplinary matters, including dismissal, the PSC is responsible for instituting proceedings against members of the force at or above the rank of inspector.
The commissioner is responsible for instituting proceedings against those below the rank of inspector. Those above can be dismissed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the PSC. But all action taken must be in conformity with police regulations.
$15.4b expenditure not provided for in budget
When the news broke that there was a $15.4-billion deficit in this fiscal year, the impression was given that it was an off-budget expenditure which did not meet the approval of Parliament.
In previous years, there have been off-budget expenditures which represented mal-governance in fiscal affairs.
The amount this year was not off-budget expenditure as originally thought, but the budget presentation by the previous government in the election year made no provision for certain items. "We have identified several items of non-discretionary expenditure that were not clearly budgeted for in this fiscal year amounting to some $15.4 billion," says Audley Shaw, finance minister. These include a shortfall on teachers' salaries of $2,877 million, hospital fee exemption for children 18 years of age and under, which was announced in the middle of the general election campaign - $560 million; pension backlog of $1,120 million and Lift Up Jamaica Programme - $1,000 million.
Shaw said that the Government is committed to ensuring fiscal discipline and avoiding any significant deviation from the fiscal targets. Several measures that are necessary to deal with the unexpected overhaul within the fiscal parameters in which the budget can be cast have been identified. The matter will be corrected in the coming supplementary estimates.
Horace Barber was a financial genius
Such deviation as what happened in the $15.4-billion budget vacuum would not have taken place during Horace Barber's time as financial secretary. Barber died in Canada last week. The post of financial secretary is the most critical in the public service. Apart from being responsible for Government's revenue and expenditure, the financial secretary has to advise the minister of finance and planning. He cannot be a "yes minister" official.
Sometimes he has to save the minister from himself, and in so doing save the country from financial and economic woes. These were the characteristics of two great financial secretaries, G Arthur Brown who died many years ago, and Barber.
Serious matters like breaching the Jamaica Constitution in financial transactions, like what the Ministry of Finance and Planning did under the leadership of Omar Davies in the previous PNP administration, would not have happened under Barber. As financial secretary, Barber also headed the public service, and permanent secretaries could depend on him to defend them against over-zealous ministers. Things changed dramatically when the cabinet secretary became head of the public service in the last PNP administration and fell under the direct influence of the prime minister.
Barber's tenure as governor of the Bank of Jamaica was remarkable. He performed best when his back was against the wall and was never afraid to explain the situation thoroughly and simply. As alternate executive director of the World Bank he strongly argued the case for Jamaica, the Caribbean and developing countries for development funds.
There was a close relationship between our two families going back for more than 40 years. A great deal of what I know about the economic and financial parameters can be attributed to the frequent on-the-record and off-the-record discussions we had when I headed the Jamaica Information Service's editorial department. He was a financial genius and was awarded the Order of Jamaica for his outstanding contribution to Jamaica's development.