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GOVERNMENT OF THE COOPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA REPORT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 2008 Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 2 Contents Executive Summary Chapter 1- The Public Service Commission Role and Functions Chapter 2- Membership of the: Secretariat and the Commission Chapter 3- Recruitment, Promotion, Discipline and other Work Activities Chapter 4- Chapter 5- Appendices General Observations and Recommendations by the Commission List of Tables and Charts Table I —Membership of the PSC Table 2 —Recruitment for the Year 2008 Table 3 — Summary of Work Activities of the Confidential Registry Table 4- Summary of Work Activities of Open/Personnel Registries Chart Percentage Breakdown of Work Activities for the Public Service Commission for the Year 2008 Chart 2- Organisational Chart of the Public Service Commission 3 4 5 7 10 12 5 7 14 15 9 13 Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY During the year 2008, the Public Service Commission major achievements were that it approved four-hundred and thirty (430) new appointments; ninety-four (94) acting appointments; ninety-two (92) promotions and forty-eight (48) dismissals.This incorporated two hundred and forty-one (241) back log of written opinions as a consequence of a temporary freeze in employment in the later part of 2007.
In order to reduce the transaction time of the work of the Commission, the Commission stipulated through circulars, reiterating to all Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments, and Regional Executive Officers that they were required to submit all relevant documentations when submitting recommendations, to which they must sign, to the Commission, from their respective Ministries, Agencies, and Regions.
The Commission also exercised its mandatory functions, as stated in the Constitution, in dealing with transfers of Personnel Practitioners in the Public Service.

The Commission also made decisions regarding representations made against them regarding reconsidering these decisions of transfers.

A Sub-Committee to discuss the draft Public Service Commission Rules was set up by the Commission that included Commissioners and a State Counsel from the Attorney General's Chambers.
The former Secretary of the Commission contract came to an end and a new Secretary was appointed.

Also, the Principal Personnel Officer tendered his resignation from the Public Service.

During the year under review, the Commission's Secretariat lost a number of its employees' mainly due to promotions and transfers.

Nevertheless, new persons were recruited and so the functions of the Commission continued in a timely manner.
The Commission underwent a number of changes to its infrastructure, namely the removal of asbestos, the refurbishing of the interior of the Secretariat, the fixing of the washroom facilities, constructing its own stairway and the installation of the intercom system and computers.

In December, 2007 one (1) post of Principal Personnel Officer was abolished and the holder of the post was transferred to another Ministry.
Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 4 The Public Service Commission Role and Functions i.

 The Public Service Commission is a Constitutional Body, established under Article 200(1) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
The procedures adopted by the Commission in its' deliberations are set out in the Public Service Commission Rules, 1998, made by the President in accordance with the provision of the Constitution, and published in the Official Gazette of 15th January, 1999.The fundamental role of the Commission is to make appointments and promotions in Public Offices and to remove and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices.
The Commission's mission is to ensure that no claims of partiality of any nature can justifiably be made against it.

Functions The Commission makes appointments and promotions throughout the Public Service.This covers posts with a commencing monthly salary of $28,415 or more, up to and including Heads of Departments and officers of similar status, At 1st January, 2008, the number of established jobs under the Commission's purview was one thousand four hundred and eighty seven (1487).

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As for disciplinary cases, the Commission's purview covers all categories of officers', except those on probation, in the Public Service from GS1 to GS14.

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The Public Service Commission however, maintains a watching brief to ensure that the selection process is carried out fairly, meticulously and thoroughly.

Ministries, Departments and Regions are required to clarify and justify their recommendations in response to the Commission's observations.
The Commission informs the Ministries, Departments, and Regions of deviations from established procedures/practices and staff management issues identified during processing of submissions and, where appropriate recommends measures to deal with these problems.
v. In examining submissions from the Permanent Secretaries of Ministries, Heads of Agencies and Regional Executive Officers, the Commission may raise questions where necessary to ensure that the recommendations are sound and the related process is carried out fairly, meticulously and thoroughly.
These Statutory Heads are required to clarify or justify their recommendations in response to the Commission's observations and queries.On many occasions, these statutory heads have modified their recommendations following comments from the Commission whilst, in other instances, the Commission has been satisfied with the propriety of recommendations after seeking further clarifications or additional justifications.
The Commission also draws these statutory heads attention to deviations from established procedures or practices and staff management problems identified during the processing of submissions and, where appropriate recommends measures to tackle these problems.

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The Commission also handles representations from officers on matters falling within the Commission's statutory responsibilities and in which the officers have a direct and definable interest.
Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 Power and Procedure 5 vii.

In accordance with Article 226 (2) of the Constitution, the Commission makes Rules to regulate its own procedures, subject to affirmative resolution of the National Assembly.

Appeals viii.

The decisions of the Public Service Commission are subject to the Public Service Appellate Tribunal in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Membership of the Public Service Commission And Secretariat Under the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana ,the Public Service Commission (PSC) shall consist of six members, who shall be appointed as follows: three members appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the leader of the opposition; two members appointed by the President upon nomination by the National Assembly after it has consulted such bodies as appear to it to represent public officers or classes of public offices; and if the President thinks fit, one other member appointed by his Excellency the President , acting in accordance with his own deliberate judgment.
The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Commission shall be elected by and from the members of the Commission using such consensual mechanisms as the Commission deems fit.
Membership of the Commission during 2008 was as follows as stated in Table 1: Table 1-Membershia of the PSC Chairman Deputy Chairman Member Secretary Mr.Ganga Persaud Mr.Carvil Duncan Mr.Cecil Seepersaud Mr. Desmond Hope Ms.Merlin Udho Ms.Vera Naughton Mr. Jaigobin Jaisingh , Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 6 Secretariat of the Commission This Commission's functions are executed through three sub-divisions namely: Services Division (Personnel); Administrative and Support Services and Registry.
The Services Division (Personnel) is responsible for the processing of all matters relating to appointments, acting appointments, promotions, transfers, secondments and resignations within the traditional Public Service for Officers on the salary scale GS: 1 to 14.
The Services Division is also responsible for the processing of personnel matters relating to substantive and acting appointments, resignations, secondments/transfers of officers in the traditional Public Service, who are remunerated on the salary scales GS: 1 to GS: 14.
This Division is also responsible for the centralised areas of the Secretariat's work, which are — Discipline, Retirements, Training and extension of sick leave, as well as all matter's pertaining to the gazetted ranks of the Police, Fire & Prison Services.

The Confidential Registry is being headed by one Senior Personnel Officer.
This Section is tasked with the responsibility of circulating to the Commission Written Opinions or recommendations submitted by the Ministries/Departments/Regions for approval or any other action the Commission deems fit.

The Open/Personnel Registry is headed by a Senior Registry Supervisor, whose reponsibility is to oversee the acivities of both the Personnel and Open Registries.
The Division also has a Registry Supervisor, who manages the day to day actvities in the Registry and also supervises the filing clerks in the Personnel Registry.The Open/Personnel Registry carries out work activities such as: coding, filing and routing of correspondences; opening and indexing of new files; bringing up new files and receiving applications from members of the public.

Method of Work Business of the Commission is normally conducted through circulation of files.
Meetings are held to discuss major policy issues or cases which are complex or involve important points of principle.

At such meetings, the Senior Staff of the Services Division (Personnel) and Confidential, and Personnel Registries are invited to apprise the Chairman, Public Service Commission of the work during the period specified for review.
Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 7 Recruitment, Promotion, Discipline and other Work Activities • Recruitment 1.1 The Public Service Commission undertakes recruitment in the Public Service.

Open recruitments are conducted for basic ranks, or a promoted rank when no one is found suitable in the lower rank, or where there is special need.

In-service recruitment exercises are arranged when the pool of candidates is restricted to all or selected group of public servants.
Table 2 —Recruitment for the Year 2008 Recruitment New Appointments On probation 329 2.1 The Commission oversees the procedural aspects, examines the shortlisting criteria, and advises on recommendations for filling of vacancies in the upper echelons of the public service.

• Promotions During the year under review, the Commission approved sixty-three (63) promotions, which included various ranks within the Public Service.
The Ministries of Education and Health predominantly had a high number of promotions.

• Dismissals During 2008, the Public Service Commission dismissed ninety-one (91) persons due to absence from duty; failure to give the required one month notice ;fraudulent acts; interdiction two (2) and termination of services one (1).
• Other Work Activities Vacancies The Commission during 2008 issued eleven (11) vacancy circulars in order that eligible persons within and without the Public Service may apply to be recruited.

 Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 8 Resignations During the year under review, the Commission issued sixty —eight (68) approvals of resignations.

There was a significant turnover rate at the Clerical Level.
Secondment There was no secondment that was approved by the Commission during the year under review, Reclassifications The Commission during the year under review approved two (2) reclassifications.

Redesignations There were thirteen (13) redesignations which were approved by the Commission during the year under review, Transfers The Commission approved of twenty-three (23) transfers within the Regions and Ministries.
There were a few Personnel Practitioners, who were rotated within the Public Service in the year under review.

Acting Appointments The Commission in 2008 approved one hundred and thirty-one (131) acting appointments.

These appointments were predominantly in the Ministries of Health and Education where incumbents acted for closed and open periods.
The substantive holders of these positions to which the incumbents were approved to act were mainly on vacation leave whilst others were on maternity leave, and in some cases in vacant positions.

Extension of Sick Leave During the year under review, one hundred and eight (108) extensions of sick leave applications were approved by the Commission.
Retirements (Statutory and Voluntary) The Commission approved five hundred and ninety four (594) statutory retirements and fifty nine (59) voluntary retirements in 2008.

 Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 9 Pre-retirement There were four hundred and two (402) submissions of documents prior to retirement in 2008.

Retirement on Medical Grounds They were twenty (20) officers in 2008 who retired from the Public Service on Medical grounds.
Gratuity There were seventy-six (76) requests for payment of advances on gratuity before retirement and fifty-nine (59) gratuity due to death that were approved by the Commission during the year under review.

Chart 1 • Percentaae Breakdown of Work Activities Completed by the Public Service Commission for the Year 2008 [Claims to Service 1% Recomputationi 7% Retention on Medico Grounds 0.5% Gratuity 7% Recruitment!
26% Retirement 31% Extension of Sick Leave 1 7% _ Redesignationsli 0.1% j 1Reclassifications 0.3% Acting Appointments, 6% Promotion, 6% Transfers 2% Dismissals 3% Resignations 4% Secondment 0.1 % Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 Claims to Service 10 During the year under review, there were thirteen (13) claims to service which were approved.

Recomputation The Secretariat approved one-hundred and twenty-one (121) recomputations of superannuation benefits in 2008.
General Observations and Recommendations by the Commission 1.1 The Commission maintained that it was making appointments when the Permanent Secretaries, Regional Executive Officers, and Heads of Departments made those recommendations.

2.1 The Commission decided that the Chairperson and the Secretary should meet with staff on a quarterly basis since the Commission needs their support.
3.1 During the year, the Commission exercised its mandatory functions, as stated in its Rules, in dealing with transfers of Personnel Practitioners and Regional Education Officers.

The Commission also made decisions regarding representations made against them regarding reconsidering these decisions of transfers.

4.1 The Commission dealt with two-hundred and forty-one (241) backlog of Written Opinions within 2007 when there was a temporary freeze in employment.
5.1 A Sub-Committee to discuss the draft Public Service Commission Rules was set up by the Commission that included Commissioners and a State Counsel from the Attorney General Chambers.

6.1 The Secretariat agreed to the setting up of Computers and installation of a Local Area Network along with it.
7.1 The Commission agreed to the delegation of powers to Ministries/Agencies/Regions for the appointment of Public Servants on the GS1 and GS 2 salary scales for specific positions on the establishment in the Public Service.
8.1 The concept of the merging of the Confidential, Personnel and Open Registries was studied and agreed upon in order to enhance the Commission's functions in a more efficient and effective manner Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 11 Public Service Commission Circulars During 2008, the Public Service Commission issued twelve (12) Circulars which comprised of eleven Staff Vacancy Circulars and one Retirement of Officers Circular throughout the Ministries, Regions, Departments and Agencies of the Public Service, which are elaborated as follows: 1.1 Retirement of Officers who during the year 2010 will attain the normal retirement age of 55 or 60 Pensions Act, Chapter 27:02; • Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Regional Executive Officers were requested to furnish to the Commission the names of all officers on the Permanent Pensionable Establishment in their respective Ministries/Departments/Regions who, during the year 2010 (2010-01-01 to 2010-12-31) will attain the retirement age of fifty-five years (55) or sixty (60) years, in instances, where employees were awarded pensionable Status after their 55th birthday.
Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 12 Appendices 1.
Organization and Management This Commission's functions are executed through three sub-divisions namely: 1) Services Division (Personnel); 2) Administrative and Support Services 3) Confidential and Personnel Registries Services Division (Personnel) Functions: This Division is responsible for the processing of all matters relating to appointments, acting appointments, promotions, transfers, secondments, resignations and the specialized areas of the Secretariat's work, which includes: discipline, pensions and training, and leave in the entire Public Service.
In addition, the Division also handles all matters pertaining to the ranks of the Police from Inspector to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 13 ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT ORGANISATIONAL CHART - SECRETARIAT POLICE/PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Confidential Secretary Chairman Police Service Chairman/Deputy Chairman Public Service Confidential Sect Commission Commission Administrative Assistant System Development Officer Office Assistant Cleaner Driver Secretary Confidential Secretary P.P.O Chief Accountant Senior Registry Supervisor Registry Su • ervisor 5 Typist Clerk I/II Assistant Accountant Accounts Clerk II 3 S.P.O 1 P.O II 4 P.O.
I 4 Clerk II (G) Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 14 2.
Work Activities of the Confidential and Open/Personnel Registries' Confidential Registry Table 3 - Summary of Work Activities of the Confidential Registry Activities Percentage Achieved Resubmitting matters to the Commission for Written Opinions or recommendations submitted by Ministries Agencies/Regions Circulating Written Opinions to the Commission Routing files to the respective sections for Government Orders to be issued Processing of applications in respect of circulars/advertisements Recording all incoming mail and ensuring their circulation and distribution Ensuring that all correspondence are put in files as early as possible Putting away and bringing up files when necessary 100 100 95 75 100 85 80 Remarks It was necessary to ensure that all outstanding matters were submitted to the Commission at the beginning of the new year.
Cooperation among staff of their section enabled this achievement.

One (1) officer was assigned to this exercise.

Ministries/Agencies/Regions are now involved in this process.

Cooperation among staff of this Section enabled this achieved.

Commitment and cooperation among staff contributed to this achievement.

Commitment and cooperation among staff contributed to this achievement.
Report of the Public Service Commission 2008 15 + Open /Personnel Registries Table 4- Summary of Work Activities of Open/Personnel Registries Activities Maintenance of a record of Circulars issued for the Secretariat and placing it in the circular file Maintenance of a record of all mail dispatched to all Administrative Regions/Ministries /Agencies Operating a stamp imprest and maintenance of a record of all postage Coding and filing of correspondence Opening and indexing files Bringing up new files Application received from members of the Public Percentage Achieved Remarks 100 On-going process 100 100 100 100 100 100 „ II ., As the need arises On -going process ,