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EDITORIAL - Finding a useful private/public-sector partnership
published: Friday | July 20, 2007
Richard Chen, who spoke on behalf of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), was largely on the mark at a forum organised by this newspaper this week.
His was a simple, but profound point - economic growth in Jamaica, as we have observed in these columns before, has over many years been constrained by a deep distrust between the public and private sectors. In some respects, it was the same point being made, but without the clarity, by Mark Myers, the president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC), when he outlined the chamber's wish list of a new Jamaican Government. The JCC, Mr. Myers said, wants more say in policy formulation.
The acknowledgement of a public/private- sector divide and its negative impact on development is not new or recent. Indeed, it is largely reflected in the language in which both sides communicate and the policies the state implements to police itself and to manage the economy.
For instance, the adjectives of choice for private sector leaders in describing the public sector tend to be inefficient and corrupt. People who work in the public sector, it is deemed, when not raiding the treasury for personal gain, are plodding and bungling their way through an irredeemable bureaucracy, with their only achievement being to undermine development.
On the other hand, it is fashionable these days for public-sector bosses to echo the refrain that the private sector is the engine of growth. Privately, we suspect, they are likely to view businesses as greedy thieves, against whom the society must be protected.
That thinking is reflected in public policy. It is not for nothing that there is so much bureaucracy, aimed at catching people who are expected to be tax cheats, sweat-shop employers or aimed at tripping the supposed, perceived corporate lout attempting to get an angle over everyone else.Every so often, it seems, common sense permeates this wall of ignorance and people perceive its calcifying effect on the society.
Then there is a flutter to do something about it. In the mid-1990s there was an initiative, led by the Government - a social partnership, which foundered at an early hurdle because of trade union intransigence. The unions were not clear about what they wanted but were opposed to most things.
More recently, the private sector has attempted to lead a new process of partnership, with decent buy-in from the trade union movement chastened by global realities. This time, the initiative foundered on failed political will. The Government and the party from which it is formed were afraid of the discipline demanded to commit to specific performance, and so meandered around the issue, neither offering full embracing nor rejecting the process.
At the same time the political Opposition was wary that commitment to shared policy goals would limit its capacity to criticise. Had the project worked, the Government might get the credit for performance. It can't continue this way.
First, there has to be a change in the language of discourse between the public and private sectors. That language and discourse will have to be shaped on shared objectives and an understanding partnership offers the best prospect for achievement. Second, and very important the Government, and particularly its leader, have to be the primary drivers of the process.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.
published: Friday | July 20, 2007
Richard Chen, who spoke on behalf of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), was largely on the mark at a forum organised by this newspaper this week.
His was a simple, but profound point - economic growth in Jamaica, as we have observed in these columns before, has over many years been constrained by a deep distrust between the public and private sectors. In some respects, it was the same point being made, but without the clarity, by Mark Myers, the president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC), when he outlined the chamber's wish list of a new Jamaican Government. The JCC, Mr. Myers said, wants more say in policy formulation.
The acknowledgement of a public/private- sector divide and its negative impact on development is not new or recent. Indeed, it is largely reflected in the language in which both sides communicate and the policies the state implements to police itself and to manage the economy.
For instance, the adjectives of choice for private sector leaders in describing the public sector tend to be inefficient and corrupt. People who work in the public sector, it is deemed, when not raiding the treasury for personal gain, are plodding and bungling their way through an irredeemable bureaucracy, with their only achievement being to undermine development.
On the other hand, it is fashionable these days for public-sector bosses to echo the refrain that the private sector is the engine of growth. Privately, we suspect, they are likely to view businesses as greedy thieves, against whom the society must be protected.
That thinking is reflected in public policy. It is not for nothing that there is so much bureaucracy, aimed at catching people who are expected to be tax cheats, sweat-shop employers or aimed at tripping the supposed, perceived corporate lout attempting to get an angle over everyone else.Every so often, it seems, common sense permeates this wall of ignorance and people perceive its calcifying effect on the society.
Then there is a flutter to do something about it. In the mid-1990s there was an initiative, led by the Government - a social partnership, which foundered at an early hurdle because of trade union intransigence. The unions were not clear about what they wanted but were opposed to most things.
More recently, the private sector has attempted to lead a new process of partnership, with decent buy-in from the trade union movement chastened by global realities. This time, the initiative foundered on failed political will. The Government and the party from which it is formed were afraid of the discipline demanded to commit to specific performance, and so meandered around the issue, neither offering full embracing nor rejecting the process.
At the same time the political Opposition was wary that commitment to shared policy goals would limit its capacity to criticise. Had the project worked, the Government might get the credit for performance. It can't continue this way.
First, there has to be a change in the language of discourse between the public and private sectors. That language and discourse will have to be shaped on shared objectives and an understanding partnership offers the best prospect for achievement. Second, and very important the Government, and particularly its leader, have to be the primary drivers of the process.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.