Saturday, October 4, 2014

The Fire Service Saga

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

FRESH!!!!

This is not only fresh from the point of view that it came from someone knowledgeable about such affairs but made it abundantly clear that he does not have a political axe to grind as far as this issue is concerned.

The writer has opened our eyes and laid bare some facts and well thought out opinions as many of us were commenting from limited knowledge and myself simply from the report and what I know about management and administration.

That we were being told that there were no mechanisms to jettison this CFO from the fire service given some of the things he was alledged to have done and seem to have been given credence by the report was stupefying. I led me tp wonder what else was at play here.

The point of the lack of a Public Service Act and rules of procedure is timely as well as educative and speaks of our lackadasical approach to everything and our penchant for buck passing in this country.

We got so much blame the PSC, blame the Commission, blame the last administration during this saga it beggers the question isn't there a government in charge and aren't they the ones given the green light to right the wrongs, fix the unfixed, settle the unsettled, implement rules and procedures where they are lacking, etc. etc.

It has taken 20 years to implement the rues of procedure and the Act that the QC worked on. What gives in Saint Lucia? What a way to run a country.

Come on man???!!! abodee

L said...

A good and no nonsense serious and unbiased piece. Much more of these types of commentaries is what will move St. Lucia forward

Anonymous said...

Informative and factual, It also exposes the lack of proper investigative journalism.

Anonymous said...

Excellent.
This article exposes what we do not like to admit which is that our leadership class is ignorant , lazy and unwilling to solve problems but are just looking after themselves.
They do not even follow rules that are in place and break those that are.
We have produced narcissistic fools from our regional universities who have overseen the breakdown of our bureaucratic systems as they do what they want.
What the clear thinking logical and HONEST Mr Girard has shown is that a committed Lucian with St Lucia at heart can solve problems.
Unfortunately from the leadership of the SLP. UWP tge civil service big honchos down all we have are takers and talkers.
All you have to do is go on Facebook to see the Didicus Jules and Jimmy Fletchers and Cletus Springers boasting and bragging in pictures of their life as the 1% to see the difference between them and really concious people like Mr Girard.

Anonymous said...

Of course the liberals will tag Mr Girard as old fashioned and conservative therefore not worth taking into account. The same liberals/progressives/socialist/leftists destroying our communities.

The SLP hacks will say he is UWP and was close to John Compton.

The young people do not even know who he is! And do not care to learn.

Yet these are the type of persons who actually thought they had to give value for money in the civil service unlike the jokers today.

Imagine we cannot get that type of analysis from the so called 'best and brightest' sucking up salaries pensions and perks in government.
This guy Girard could run St Lucia better that Kenny anthony or pierre or king any day of the year.
Look at the difference between this decent guy and the buffoon Fredericks! That differential tells you all you need to know about what a vulgar society we have become.

Unknown said...

Thanks Mr. V. Gerard for this insightful, highly thought provoking article.

You exposed three issues which are of grave concern to me:

1. the state of journalism in St Lucia, which is lacklustre, unimaginative and insipid:functions purely as the reporter of events as they have happened, or are happening. This is unacceptable at this stage in our development. Reporters must get hungry for information, to uncover the facts about important issues confronting the land. At best they have relegated themselves to expressing 'omniscient' opinions about everything rather than do the investigative stuff.

2. The effect elective politics has on small island developing states. When a well intentioned writer, must warn his audience to refrain from relegating his article to a colour dynamic, we are in a bad place, as there are many implications for this.

3. Mr Gerard informs us," the country is 35 years old, yet we do not have a public service act."

He also says, "The PSC has no rules of procedure...." The question is why no effort has been expended to address such issues?. Then he states the surprising thing. The rules for such an instrument were prepared by Desmond Mcnamara QC. ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO A DRAFT WAS FORWARDED TO THE CSA, but UP to current, no response. He also explains that since 1997 a full time legal officer and chairman STAFFED THE PSC, YET NO ACTION.

Why our structures continue to stagnate and are aided and abetted by those Selected to do so? Is this a case of pure laziness on the part of officers? Is this sad state of affairs to do with the ugly beast called elective politics, which manifests itself as 'leave my votes alone,' but the country retrogresses? it is my opinion that this is how elective politics kills our development. No politician wants to do anything which may earn the wrath of voters, regardless of the general good inherent in such action. While we speak of development, we are hindered by one 'colour' or other. We have also become simply satisfied with our statuses, we are employed, can pay our bills, drive a car, our party is power. THAT'S IT.

Anonymous said...

October 5, 2014 at 1:58 AM; very true. I looked at their FB pages and was quite nauseated at what I saw - the selves praises and glorifications!!

Makes me sick to my stomach!!

Yeah, our leaders, those the kids are supposed to look up too.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Mr. Girard for this outstanding piece. I wish you would continue to write on other issues of national import. This Fire Service saga is an indictment on successive Governments. This matter should have been settled eons ago. I agree fully that we should tackle the basics of government before moving to high falluting stuff. Who don't we have a Public Service Act after all these years?

Anonymous said...

Victor Girard; knows all too well, that the problem with this St. Lucia Civil Service is that, ONLY PUBLIC OFFICERS WHO COW-TAIL/LICK THE BUTTS OF POLITICIANS rise to the level of PERMANENT SECRETARY.

This is so, because these "chicken-shit" politicians who grew up collecting mangoes to eat for breakfast and lunch; and whose toilet were nothing but crab=holes where they would bend down to ease their bowels in; know nothing about decency and propriety; whether in their family life or business life.

As far as these "worms" are concerned you either "lick their tails" or you are bloody well doomed to be thrown by them (these political worms) to the garbage heap of the public service; if they can.

The public officers who stood up against the ruthlessness/corruption of these political worms may well be counted on one hand; and I dare say; only two or three fingers on that hand.

At least 99% of these public officers lick the politicians tails; to get to these positions; primarily because they are well aware that they do not possess the wherewithal to be in these positions in the first place.

In these situations; these public officers do exactly what the Minister demands they do. No questions asked. In the end, what has now come to roost, is that this has brought this country down the black hole/ the economic and social abyss; we are witnessing for some time now.

In fairness with John Compton and all his faults; it is fair to say; he approved the recommendations of Permanent Secretaries; primarily based on their competence (ability to do their work required). Victor Girard is a classical case in point; in John Compton allowing him to remain as Cabinet Secretary, after the UWP was returned to Office in 1992.

Kenny Anthony has the worst record in the history of the Public Service in appointing at all levels particularly at senior levels; persons who are closely associated with the Labour Party.

And worst yet, he Kenny Anthony would literally IMPORT from outside the Public Service persons who they wish to carry out their DESIRES within the government service; into the public service at senior levls.

The interest of the country is far from the agenda of these 'political worms".

And now the chickens are here rooting. The country is now destroyed. It will take individuals with CHARACTER to turn this country AROUND.

Anonymous said...

Blogger above is dead right. On the button.

Here you have a woman messing around on her husband; with a well known scamp of the St. Lucia Labour Party; and her reward? A senior position within the Public Service.

When many officers within the Service could do the job.

Unless you Lucians stand up against what is wrong in this country; we shall all perish.

In the history of this country individuals who have been publicly linked with well known RAPE CASES have been placed in very critical positions in this country.

What else do we need to see? We are all perishing for we have KEPT SILENT when all the WRONGS were being perpetuated.

TAKE A STAND FOR RIGHT. The country and the people stand to benefit. KEEP SILENT, and the political dogs benefit.

Anonymous said...

Kenny Anthony is the worst Prime Minister and for that matter, the worst, Cabinet Secretary the St. Lucia Public Service has ever experienced.

He relishes the use of senior civil servants who pander to his every whim and fancy; eventually bringing St. Lucia to the level of a failed state.

Has anyone observed that NOT ONE PROJECT/CAPITAL INVESTMENT has entered this country since Kenny Anthony has been in Government, over his three terms?

His publicly stated alignment towards communist countries such as Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, has exposed the palms of his hand to the world community who traditionally viewed St. Lucia as a place to do business. But no more.

Furthermore it is my view that since Kenny Anthony et al have not come clean and forward to the public to provide full details on the information/evidence he claimed he had whilst in opposition regarding Richard Frederick; then it seems that Richard Frederick is in a position to tell the Public what he also knows about Kenny Anthony.

The question we here in St. Lucia are currently asking ourselves is this----Who is Worst, Kenny Anthony et al or Richard Frederick.

Anonymous said...

I meant to write the worst Cabinet MINISTER. and not secretary.

Anonymous said...

The date given in my comment at Oct. 05 at 5.49PM regarding John Compton maintaining Victor Girard as his Cabinet Secretary; against the wishes and prodding of the UWP Executive was 1982; after the fall of the Labour Party Government and not 1992 as was erroneously typed.

Anonymous said...

Kenny Anthony singlehandedly destroyed the St. Lucia Public Service with the importation of his political cronies on contract at the higher echelons of the public service. As well as the direct and unscrupulous political prostitution of senior civil servants who are obligated to do his evil biddings.

They are now feeling the brunt of their satanic actions as this country slides down into oblivion.

More and more businesses are in the process of closing their doors and more and more increases in unemployment. Hence an expected increase in violent crimes; and increases in drug trafficking and illegal firearms and ammunition.

Kenny Anthony and his snakes are on their way out.

Peter Lansiquot said...

Dear Victor, let me applaud you for this wonderful piece of information. As a Lucian, I feel deep shame to be informed that not even Rules of Procedure are in place for the PSC after all these years of public service in our country. You have enlightened me and I thank you for this. Now, I will suggest here that such a piece should be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, and that the relevant committee or working group should be mandated to begin to take action on these matters, such as the lack of ROP and the apparent neglect of the work of Mr. McNamara. I will certainly keep this letter in my file for future reference and positive utilization, as we continue to strive to take our country to the next level. Cheers. PETER LANSIQUOT.

Anonymous said...

Interestingly in St. Lucia we all think that the solution to our problems is money.
Politicians think that as long as they can borrow or tax and throw the resultant money at problems - that all will be solved. This is the typical solution by socialists, liberals or progressives.
As an adendum to that we have the narcissistic view of the liberal leadership in St. Lucia and the Caribbean that they (in their great wisdom) also have the answers to all our problems. They trash proven successful economic theories to push Keysenian economics as an excuse to promote governments rash 'prime pumping' which has proven to be unsuccessful and simple raised debt and trashes the value of he currency.

Since 1997 the St. Lucia Labour Party led by their political leader Kenny Anthony have borrowed over two billion dollars which they have spent like drunker sailors with no management oversight or audits during the period.
This article by Mr Girard shows the kind of clear, logical and prudent analysis that has been so lacking in the supervision and spending of the taxpayers money.

The result has not only been the wastage of money but also a sense of and acceptance of corruption as the electorate and in particular the youth see the politicians and party hacks feeding off of the money troughs of government. This has contributed to the lack of respect for private property and the fall in the sense of decency that once used to be part of the St. Lucian culture.

If any sociologist or historian in the future really wants to pinpoint the real evil of the SLP and the last UWP Administrations they would recognize how the behavior and lack of leadership not only destroyed the public finances of the country but more importantly shredded the whole moral fabric of society.
From the top to the bottom we have become an immoral, greedy drug and alcohol infused people.

We are No1 the world or the Caribbean in out of wedlock births (which leads to crime and violence among the youth and poverty),in diabetes, in alcohol consumption , in marijuana consumption. We are clearly up there in institutional and political corruption, in sexual depravity (with incest, prostitution, etc).
Yet we walk around in an arrogant and ignorant haze think that everything will be alright in the morning once we get more moneeee!


Anonymous said...

Some things I refuse to believe as this chart below. These 'experts' must have a skewered analysis methodology.
This is the bottom end of a chart looking at the IQ of a number of nations.
Anything below 69 is considered abnormal and a sign of mental retardation.
St. Lucia is second to the bottom with a score of 62. Something is wrong here! Maybe they are ranking academic qualifications and saying it is IQ or ability to read and write but this kind of nonsense should not be allowed to be published and not refuted.

At the top of the chart was Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iceland, Mongolia.


38 Swaziland 68
39 Dominica 67
39 Guinea 67
39 Guinea-Bissau 67
39 Haiti 67
39 Lesotho 67
39 Liberia 67
39 Saint Kitts and Nevis 67
39 Sao Tome and Principe 67
40 Gambia, The 66
41 Cameroon 64
41 Gabon 64
41 Mozambique 64
42 Saint Lucia 62
43 Equatorial Guinea 59

Anonymous said...

October 08, 2014 at 4.36AM. Very well said.

None of these Cabinet Ministers have a clue of leadership and managerial EFFECTIVENESS and POSITIVE IMPACT.

IN FACT THEY DO NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS INVOLVES.