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Vaz Talks Tough
Published: Sunday | October 30, 201112 Comments
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
New public-sector czar Daryl Vaz says he is ready to crack the whip to break the back of crippling bureaucracy that is overwhelming public services.
Vaz, assigned responsibility for telecommunications and public-sector efficiency in the Office of the Prime Minister, claims that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has given him carte blanche to combat the perennial problems in government ministries.
The former information minister stressed that, as such, he would not be required to seek the permission any minister to do his work. "What this has done for me, by virtue of the prime minister's publicly indicating that I can cross all ministries, is that there can't be any discomfort on any issue with my colleagues in terms of interventions," he stressed.
Still, Vaz insisted that he would be subjecting his activity to the scrutiny of the Cabinet. "I am determined to go through the right processes, so that consensus can be arrived at in terms of the way to go," he emphasised. "The changes that I implement will not be done unilaterally. They will follow the process and the guidelines set out by Government.
"I will pay the respect due my colleague ministers," he emphasised. "But the prime minister has given me the
autonomy that when I call I can get a direct response that I require to implement the required changes," Vaz added.
"The emphasis of the prime minister is that a particular minister or ministry or unit will not just be a troubleshooting ministry, but to refine the processes so that it simplifies and does not force people to seek intervention at the highest level for the resolution of simple matters," said Vaz.
He disclosed that such a unit is being set up at this time.
Noting that the system has come a far way under the Golding administration, Vaz said he has been instructed by Holness to focus on building a business-friendly atmosphere in the public sector.
"We plan to be a business-friendly government and I have been given the autonomy, not only to troubleshoot but the power to cross ministries in order to put in place new processes, among other things."
no collision course
Vaz asserted that his tasks will not take him on a collision course with Senator Arthur Williams, the minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office who has responsibility for the public service.
He stressed that public-service efficiency is entirely different from that of ensuring that the administration of public-sector workers is streamlined.
"My job is intended to simplify the process of doing business in the public sector, and Arthur will continue to do what he has been doing in terms of remuneration and other such matters."
Accordingly, Vaz said he would be using the power given him to go into any part of Government that can be simplified "that provides for improved service and allowing people to get that level of service, in the shortest possible time, but bearing in mind that the checks and balances have to be kept."
Citing an example that he characterised as a low-hanging fruit that warrants immediate attention and can be adjusted to save significant time, Vaz noted that all subdivision approvals by parish councils across the island, under current laws, must be signed off only by the minister of local government.
"All subdivisions that are already approved by the council have to come to Kingston to be rubber-stamped by the minister responsible for planning - that would be Horace Chang now," he noted.
delays and turnaround time
He contended that the delays and turnaround time could be eliminated by between six and eight weeks. "This is by virtue of subdivision approvals having to come to be signed, not for the Minister to approve or disapprove, but because it is a requirement by law that he signs off on them," asserted Vaz.
The minister told The Sunday Gleaner that the subdivision would have already been approved by the relevant authority.
"It comes to the Planning Department of the Office of the Prime Minister, is logged in and sent to the ministry; and what makes matters worse is that they cannot be signed by any other officer of the ministry but by the designated minister, yet he has no say in the approval matter," said Vaz.
He added; "If you think about the time it takes for the minister to sign off on hundreds of subdivision approvals for all of the parishes, it is mind-boggling."
The minister said he would be playing a role to ensure that such a requirement is eliminated.
Published: Sunday | October 30, 201112 Comments
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
New public-sector czar Daryl Vaz says he is ready to crack the whip to break the back of crippling bureaucracy that is overwhelming public services.
Vaz, assigned responsibility for telecommunications and public-sector efficiency in the Office of the Prime Minister, claims that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has given him carte blanche to combat the perennial problems in government ministries.
The former information minister stressed that, as such, he would not be required to seek the permission any minister to do his work. "What this has done for me, by virtue of the prime minister's publicly indicating that I can cross all ministries, is that there can't be any discomfort on any issue with my colleagues in terms of interventions," he stressed.
Still, Vaz insisted that he would be subjecting his activity to the scrutiny of the Cabinet. "I am determined to go through the right processes, so that consensus can be arrived at in terms of the way to go," he emphasised. "The changes that I implement will not be done unilaterally. They will follow the process and the guidelines set out by Government.
"I will pay the respect due my colleague ministers," he emphasised. "But the prime minister has given me the
autonomy that when I call I can get a direct response that I require to implement the required changes," Vaz added.
"The emphasis of the prime minister is that a particular minister or ministry or unit will not just be a troubleshooting ministry, but to refine the processes so that it simplifies and does not force people to seek intervention at the highest level for the resolution of simple matters," said Vaz.
He disclosed that such a unit is being set up at this time.
Noting that the system has come a far way under the Golding administration, Vaz said he has been instructed by Holness to focus on building a business-friendly atmosphere in the public sector.
"We plan to be a business-friendly government and I have been given the autonomy, not only to troubleshoot but the power to cross ministries in order to put in place new processes, among other things."
no collision course
Vaz asserted that his tasks will not take him on a collision course with Senator Arthur Williams, the minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office who has responsibility for the public service.
He stressed that public-service efficiency is entirely different from that of ensuring that the administration of public-sector workers is streamlined.
"My job is intended to simplify the process of doing business in the public sector, and Arthur will continue to do what he has been doing in terms of remuneration and other such matters."
Accordingly, Vaz said he would be using the power given him to go into any part of Government that can be simplified "that provides for improved service and allowing people to get that level of service, in the shortest possible time, but bearing in mind that the checks and balances have to be kept."
Citing an example that he characterised as a low-hanging fruit that warrants immediate attention and can be adjusted to save significant time, Vaz noted that all subdivision approvals by parish councils across the island, under current laws, must be signed off only by the minister of local government.
"All subdivisions that are already approved by the council have to come to Kingston to be rubber-stamped by the minister responsible for planning - that would be Horace Chang now," he noted.
delays and turnaround time
He contended that the delays and turnaround time could be eliminated by between six and eight weeks. "This is by virtue of subdivision approvals having to come to be signed, not for the Minister to approve or disapprove, but because it is a requirement by law that he signs off on them," asserted Vaz.
The minister told The Sunday Gleaner that the subdivision would have already been approved by the relevant authority.
"It comes to the Planning Department of the Office of the Prime Minister, is logged in and sent to the ministry; and what makes matters worse is that they cannot be signed by any other officer of the ministry but by the designated minister, yet he has no say in the approval matter," said Vaz.
He added; "If you think about the time it takes for the minister to sign off on hundreds of subdivision approvals for all of the parishes, it is mind-boggling."
The minister said he would be playing a role to ensure that such a requirement is eliminated.
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