KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has cautioned public servants against taking the position that they are not being paid enough to deliver quality service to consumers.

The Prime Minister said that, while the government’s new Service Excellence Policy (SEP) is designed to increase cultural excellence in serving the public, the government employees should also be focusing on increasing their productivity to enable larger pay increases.

“We must become customer focus, and this applies to both our internal and external customers. We therefore have to set performance standards, improve the capacity to promote excellence and establish effective systems of management and accountability,” he told the launch of the policy at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday, July 13.

Holness also called for an “honest discussion” about productivity, as it relates to customer service in the public sector, and for more empathy in terms of how these workers deal with the public.

“We need to meet and exceed the public’s expectations. We must become more customer focus, and this applies to both our internal and external customers. We, therefore, have to set performance standards, improve the capacity to promote excellence and establish effective systems of management and accountability,” he told the launch.

“Public servants must empathise with the customers…This is often times absent in our general social interactions. It can be a tall order for the public service but, nevertheless, the policy also speaks to public servants having empathy,” he added.

He said that failure to meet these conditions will affect the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs0 of government, so civil servants will have to constantly challenge themselves to ensure that the goods and services they provide are designed for the benefit of these customers.

He said that this could be a tall order for the public service but, nevertheless, the SEP also speaks to the need to show empathy for the public.

He also pointed out that, across government, significant changes are being made to improve the service and systems, to create a better experience for all shareholders.

“I already see the criticisms coming, but you know me: My job is to spark these kinds of conversations, because these things are operating privately in the minds of citizens. We see them reflected in public behaviour that makes it difficult to solve the problems. So, I am not here seeking any political friendship or popularity. This is about getting the job done, and grappling with the real problems. So, I have to talk the things, as you say,” Holness stated.

He said that also operating in the minds of the public service workers is that aside from remuneration, they are not given the resources and the tools to do the job. However, he noted that the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service is already engaged, with its partners- the trade unions, in addressing the remuneration issues and to acknowledge that it is not just about cash; but, remuneration is about “how do we live and work”.

Balford Henry