THE REPORT from Dr. Carlton Davis, the Cabinet Secretary, which was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, shows that 144 people had been hired by government, either as consultants, advisers or special advisers.
Of this number 76 are in the civil service and 68 in statutory corporations and government companies (parastatals). For their services they were being compensated at a total of $326 million annually.
This report is the result of a three-month probe by the Cabinet Secretary, and was prompted by allegations by Audley Shaw, the Opposition spokesman on Finance, that government was paying out "more than $95 million annually in consultancy fees". Much of this, he charged then, was to former Members of Parliament or persons loyal to the ruling People's National Party. Wednesday's report suggests that Mr. Shaw's claims were exaggerated but not without substance.
In the wake of Dr. Davis's report, the Prime Minister has announced a freeze on the hiring of consultants while a study is done to determine their exact roles and functions.
Jamaicans might be forgiven, however, if they see this as just another case of closing the gate long after the horse has galloped through.
Bear in mind that the January 1999 Orane Report on ways to reduce waste in the public sector, had already pointed to the "looseness" with which the term "consultant" was applied in the public service.
There is no doubt that specialist services may be required in areas of government operations that are not immediately available from the core staff. Our fundamental concern, however, is whether the country is getting value for money? Do we need all these consultants? We say no; their qualifications notwithstanding.
The country already has a bloated civil service. Yet the government has demonstrated an unwillingness to tackle seriously the inefficiency inherent therein, despite promises over the years to deal with it and the commissioning of reports to study the obvious.
Unbelievably, subsequent to Dr. Davis's report, another study is to be done to define clearly the roles and functions of these consultants.
It is this kind of action that generates cynicism and a lukewarm response to the Prime Minister's "Values and Attitudes" campaign. Public distrust runs deep and is fuelled either by suspicions of corruption or cronyism.
It will take a miracle to convince most Jamaicans that Mr. Patterson is to be taken seriously when he orders another report on consultants. At the end of the day the public needs to be assured that taxes collected are being well spent. We have yet to be convinced it is so in relation to these many consultancies.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
