Just under Peeping Tom's article of yesterday, appeared an advertisement by the Ministry of Health's Materials Management Unit. This is the unit responsible for purchasing, storing and issuing of hundreds of millions of dollars in drugs each year.
It is a high priority unit because as we know, if it fails to have in stock certain drugs, this can cause serious problems in our health care system. On the other hand, if it holds certain stocks too long, it can be accused of not efficiently managing the needs of the health care system in Guyana . Inventory control is just, however, one aspect of the job of this very important unit in the country.
The advertisement was for four positions: firstly, a supervisor of distribution. The successful applicant for that is required to have a diploma in accountancy.
Commencing salary $32, 236. Next is the position of supervisor, Medical and Non Medical Stores. Same starting salary for a position requiring a diploma in public management plus ten years experience as a pharmacy assistant /bond clerk. Then there is the position for Bond Clerk, requiring four subjects at the CXC examinations plus five years working experience.
The final vacancy is for a procurement assistant, carrying a salary of $27, 363 per month.
Which clerk with five years experience is going to leave his or her job to go and work for $27, 363? I am told that there are people with such experience within the public service who work for less and who would be willing to take the job. That is sad!
It does not end there. On page 16 of the same paper, the said Materials Management Unit advertised for four, yes not one but four managers. One is for the position of Administrative/ Finance; the second for Costing and Systems; the third for Storage and
Distribution and the fourth for Procurement. These are the managers who will have to oversee hundreds of millions of dollars in drug purchases, storage, distribution and accounting within the national health system. Guess what is the starting salary? A mere $63,075 per month.
Are we really serious about moving things forward in this country? In the first place, there is absolutely no need for four managers. One manager responsible for all aspects of materials management is sufficient.
Why are we paying four persons for a job that can be done by one person? Why in addition, do we need two supervisors if we plan to have four managers? I hope that the Public Service Commission will review these vacancies and determine whether there is a need for all these vacancies.
I am calling on the Minister of Health to justify four managers and, in addition, two supervisors. This is gross overstaffing and is something that afflicts the entire public service.
In addition, how can we be paying these managers, who will have to overlook hundreds of millions of dollars of good each year, a mere $60,000 odd? Are we serious in this country?
Compare those salaries with that published in the Chronicle newspapers a few days ago relating to positions at the local airport where in one case a confidential secretary was receiving in excess of $80,000.
This column is not against the payment of good salaries to workers but there has to be some measure of consistency. We cannot be paying those who will be responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in drug purchases, a mere pittance. And we should definitely not be employing so many persons when a lesser amount can do the job.
There is too much excess fat on the government. The IMF and World Bank have said that the public service is bottom heavy. This means that lower paid staff should be reduced. Yet, there seems to be some reluctance on the part of the government to reduce staffing other than by attrition.
When you do not pay people properly, you do not get quality work; as the saying goes you get what you pay for.
The government is, therefore, only shortchanging itself in order to maintain a desired level of employment within the public service.
The unions within the public service must come to the realization that while they may have just cause for increased wages and salaries, this will have to come at a price and that price will have to be the reduction of staff within the public service. There is no way in which the government will be able to pay a living wage with the present size of the public service.
I noticed that the Minister of Education is saying that the Sacred Heart Primary School will not be rebuilt. That school according to reports was supposed to have a staff of forty- five.
What is to become of them? I hope that they will either be sent to other schools where there are vacancies. I hope that they will not be retained in order to preserve their jobs.
There must be a need for their services elsewhere otherwise they should be let go or untrained teachers within the system should be let go to make way for them. We cannot continue in this country to want first world standards when we practice fourth world management.