Eric Williams and Public Service Reform

Abstract

Early Public Service Reform under the People's National Movement: 1956-1961When Eric Williams' People's National Movement (PNM) came to power in Trinidad and Tobago in 1956, their stated objectives for the public service were twofold: to put an end to favouritism, discrimination and political interference in appointments, transfers and promotions; and (related to the first) to guarantee the appointment of qualified West Indians to the highest positions.1 These objectives were derived logically from the PNM's overall goal of bringing the injustices of colonialism to an end.2 Favouritism and discrimination were burning issues for Williams and his generation. In his autobiography, he recounted the story of a young civil servant who in 1911 was denied the promotion he deserved and expected because, in the opinion of the head of his department, he lacked social qualifications. Williams noted the lack of social qualifications was an impediment to the progress of thousands of Trinidadians, inside and outside the civil service, and pointed out his father was one of them. The necessary social qualifications were colour, money and education, in order of importance.The public service, however, did not allow the PNM government to restrict itself to its stated objectives. Instead, it presented its own list of problems to the new administration. Hence, from the outset, on the issue of public service reform, the PNM government was reactive rather than proactive. On coming to office, Eric Williams' Executive Council (the colony's equivalent of a Cabinet) found a number of reports recommending actions to be taken to improve the functioning of various departments. Resolved to deal with the whole rather than with each part separately, the Council decided to appoint Minister Ulric Lee as chairman of a committee to advise the government on the reorganization of the public service. Mr Lee's report4 had two significant parts. One concerned a recommendation for the establishment of independent service commissions for each branch of the public service; and the other addressed the reclassification of posts, together with the drawing of new organizational charts for all ministries and departments.Under the crown colony system of government the Public Service Commission made recommendations to the governor on recruitment, promotions and terminations in the public service, the governor having the final say in these matters. In order to deal with the issue of discrimination, the Lee report recommended the status of the Commission should be changed, and it should be made an executive body, protected by law from political or governmental interference. The Executive Council implemented this recommendation, thereby constructing the first pillars of the post-colonial public service. It was expected this device would minimize nepotism and favouritism, but the price paid for this action was the removal from management of any power in respect of important personnel management decisions.The Executive Council also accepted and implemented Lee's recommendations-on reclassification, so the PNM was in a position to state in its 1961 election manifesto5 it had achieved the following objectives in its first term in office:* establishment of three executive service commissions (for the public service, the police force, and the judiciary);* reorganization and reclassification of the public service;* increasing West Indianization of the service; and* extension of pensions and gratuity.The Public Service in the Early Years of Independence: 1962-1973During their second term in office, Eric Williams and his government again found themselves in a reactive rather than a proactive situation with respect to the public service. The specific problem was job classification.In a public address in 1965,6 Williams explained after conducting two regrading exercises it became clear that what we had to try to deal with was the entire Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago and what principally was wrong was the Service, the Public Service, was not properly classified. …