St Helena : St Helena - ‘In the Know with the MOU’
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 11.02.2012 (Article Archived on 25.02.2012)
This week is the final interview of a four part series ‘In the Know with the MOU’ which aims to inform our readers about the progress made on each of the ‘big’ reform areas under the MOU; Immigration, Land, Economic Development and Institutional Arrangements.
‘In the Know with the MOU’
Institutional Arrangements
This week is the final interview of a four part series ‘In the Know with the MOU’ which aims to inform our readers about the progress made on each of the ‘big’ reform areas under the MOU; Immigration, Land, Economic Development and Institutional Arrangements.
Number four in the series is the latest update on Institutional Arrangements. We caught up with Robin Swaisland, Team Leader of the Public Service Modernisation Programme to tell us more.
The Public Sector Modernisation Programme (PSMP) has been running for three years and was originally designed as a programme of reforms to assist SHG to prepare for air access.
The emphasis had to be modified when the airport was paused. But it was then revised again in 2010 after HMG’s decision to proceed with the airport subject to meeting certain conditions, which were later highlighted in the MOU.
Much of the MOU was aimed at the same objective as the PSMP and as a result PSMP resources were used to support the MOU work.
There are seven components under the PSMP programme covering:
1. Governance and Corporate Management (ICT, Statistics, Communications.)
2. Policy Framework (Policy Cycle Management, Policy Formulation.)
3. Functions of Government (Structure, Right Size, Divestment, Private Sector Development)
4. Performance Management (Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, Efficiency, Standards and Quality)
5. Human Resources Management and Development (Policies, Practices, Workforce Planning, Capacity Development)
6. Systems, tools and processes (Administration, Records Management, Procurement)
7. Financial Management (Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Accounting)
Supporting these components are the targets underneath the umbrella of ‘institutional arrangements’. These include Divestment, Rationalisation of SHG’s structure, Headcount Reduction, Human Resources Policies and Procedures, and the establishment of the new Environmental Management Directorate.
The targets for this part of the MOU are concentrated on making SHG smaller and more efficient.
Robin explained:
“One of the reasons the private sector struggles to grow is because SHG uses so much of the Island’s human capital.
“Businesses need some of the people currently employed in the public service, hence the drive to reduce headcount and the divestment programme, to transfer functions/activities out of SHG so that a private business can do it instead.”
Institutional Arrangements also support the other reforms under the MOU.
Robin said:
“In short, nothing happens unless there are people, policies, rules and processes (i.e. institutions) for implementation. With so many changes required to ‘open up St Helena for Economic Development’ it is absolutely crucial that new and improved arrangements are put in place. Economic development will result in significant physical development too, which is why it was so important to create a more effective Environmental Management organisation. The MOU gave us the drive and the means to achieve that.”
Speaking with Robin:
Phase II of the MOU has now begun, how is SHG building on the work that has already been completed under ‘institutional arrangements’?
“We are now in the implementation phase and as a result of this have started operating the Human Resources Policies agreed during Phase I. This includes the Redundancy and Redeployment and Workforce Planning policies. There has been a significant increase in the number of people being redeployed from one Directorate to another and also in the last six to nine months there have also been a few redundancies which have gone smoothly. Headcount reduction targets have now been agreed in all directorates.”
“Currently a rationalisation process is taking plus across SHG which aims to reduce the number of separate Directorates by merging functions, thereby introducing further efficiency and streamlining across the Public Service. For example, the Secretariat is being changed to “Corporate Services” by adding HR, SPPU and IT. These functions naturally sit together to support the directorates that are delivering services to the public with their planning, policy formulation, performance monitoring and resource management.”
“In terms of the Divestment Programme, a Government owned company is currently being formed to take over responsibility of Electricity and Water. This company will be in place by 1st April. A Business Case for the divestment of cleaning, catering and home help services has been drafted and will be considered by the Chief Secretary in the next few weeks.
Personally how do you feel about what has happened so far and what lies ahead?
“I have seen a great deal of change in the 15 months that I have been with PSMP. The achievements of the MOU process have been remarkable, especially taking into account the cynicism that naturally resulted from the stop-go-stop-go of previous years. But there is still a lot to do.
“The biggest challenges will be overcome when we have persuaded people to change their mindsets, and that’s very difficult of course. But if people can be convinced that economic growth is achievable, and that everyone’s standard of living will improve as a result, then hopefully we can convince both public and private sectors to increase their productivity and accept that ‘business as unusual’ should be the aim.
“Significant change is just over the horizon, and St Helena and its people are faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to influence the way it happens. If that opportunity is not grasped – with both hands - then others will decide how the island will change. I think that’s not the best solution, so it’s up to us all to up our game, and PSMP will do everything in its power to support that.”
Strategic Policy and Planning Unit
9th February 2012
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