DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, King’s Counsel, has charged the leadership of the 106-year-old Jamaica Civil Service Association to unmask non-performing workers who have made the public service “their side hustle” and are collecting salaries “under false pretence”.

Speaking during the opening session of the association’s annual general meeting in the Corporate Area recently, the DPP in her keynote address said while the entity had much to celebrate in continuing to lobby for public servants, it had “other responsibilities to the public of this country”.

“I am going to challenge you to come out of your comfort zone because, yes, you have a lot of laurels but I am very, very passionate about service above self to the public… I want to know what is being done, realistically, in terms of the great drive that you have to see to the welfare of your membership, to make sure that the minority of public servants who give the great majority of exemplary public servants a bad name, what is being done about them?” the DPP asked.

In noting comments by head of the Jamaica Civil Service Association Techa Clarke-Griffiths regarding the entity’s intent for the upcoming negotiating period, Llewellyn said an insistence for heavier pay cheques could not be the sole focus.

“I have heard the advocacy going forward for this year but what I would want to hear as well, juxtaposed with that, is a commitment to respond to some members of the public who sometimes are disappointed with what they consider to be the lack of customer care from a small minority of your number.

“…I believe that that elephant in the room — if it is that your back is broad and you are strong — you must be strong enough to face that. Deal with it and show the public the maturity — that it’s not just about pay, upskilling and all of that, but you are prepared to answer the clamour of the public for an enhancement or a demonstration that you validate your concerns, you are sorry that some of them are disappointed but it is a work in progress, but it has to be spoken about,” the DPP said to applause and a chorus of ‘yesses’.

Pointing out that public servants “wield great power”, Llewellyn called on those in critical posts to do more to educate and interface with the public.

“Sometimes I find it very amusing when those on both sides of the political divide are pummelled by the public because a particular bridge has not been built, or a road has not been surfaced, or something has not been done, and a lot of members of the public don’t know how critical and important the public servants are because it is the public servants who are doing the paperwork and making certain decisions…but the politicians have to take the rap.

“Sometimes when I listen to hear if the permanent secretaries or the head of a particular department are going to come out and explain, not a word…” she stated.

“The great majority of public servants are exemplary… but I believe that when one is looking at barriers, Madame President, you have to face it and talk about it with your council, it has to be part of the conversation in respect of the compensation,” said Llewellyn, “So, you have increased compensation. The public are expecting to see that this great organisation that is enshrined in the constitution has the maturity to have that conversation so if it is that there is a move by the [Office of the] Services Commission to align the issue of compensation with a revamping of the public service rules and regulations — which will make it easier to separate the person that make you look bad because they are totally non-performing — you must be mature enough to put it out there in the atmosphere.”

Llewellyn said when this is done it adds to the group’s credibility and more support is gained from the public.

“Because the public sees that the great majority of public servants are doing their best — because you and I know that you have one or two people who the public service is their side hustle and they have a company, that is where they spend most of their time. But guess what? Everybody looks the other way because you don’t want to be unpopular or you are afraid, and it’s better to say nothing,” the veteran prosecutor, who has spent 40 years in the public service, said.

“When I came to the service it seemed to me, looking on, that no matter what anybody does in the service, no matter how incompetent you are, you can just stay there, collecting, obtaining money under false pretence. Here I am saying it is not the right thing, as [a] professional and as a public servant, to be collecting money [salary] under false pretence because the false pretence is that you are working when you are not doing anything,” the DPP noted.

“I believe, given the great organisation that you are, enshrined in the constitution, part of the conversation has to be that: Do you support the revamping of the public service regulations? It’s from the minority of people…but when you have minority of people letting down the side, it makes you look bad,” she added.

“So I think, in order to have transformation…there has to be a concentrated effort to address the mindset — to face it, to unmask the elephant in the room, to talk about it — and decide that you are not going to tolerate it because the public of this country deserves better…that is what I want to rivet your attention on. So with the great strides the Jamaica Civil Service Association has made, you must make sure that customer service becomes part of the DNA,” Llewellyn said in her parting shot.