Heather Robinson
EVERY HUMAN being has a fear, and some have many fears. Some fear the devil, while others fear God. Some fear unemployment, while there are others who fear work. Some fear pain and others fear pleasure. Some fear darkness, and some fear light. Some fear hunger and others fear food. Whatever the fear might be there is no doubt that the biggest fear of most human beings is failure.
In her address to the new Ministers of State on Tuesday, Prime Minister Portia Simp-son Miller said, "Any failure will not be transferred. I will repeat, no failure will be transferred elsewhere."
Some have interpreted this statement to mean that she will not be granting ministerial transfers for persons who perform poorly. Others see this as her way of disassociating herself from the failure of any minister, and some ask the question: Is success transferable, and to whom?
STERN WARNING
Whatever were the reasons for the Prime Minister's statement, there is no doubt that she has a desire to lead a successful administration and has warned her ministers that there will be no place for poor performance.
Some will argue that there still exists the concept of collective leadership, and one failure can make an entire government look bad.
Any minister who was able to survive failures under the leadership of the former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson must be quaking now.
But is it really fair to give this charge only to the elected and appointed politicians, without a similar charge to permanent secretaries and every civil and public servant?
Politicians have the distinction of always being under public scrutiny. Civil servants have the privilege of - once being appointed - being protected from instant termination. Performance measurements do not attract public attention, and if there has been blatant incompetence, transfers take place or individuals are sent on leave.
So the civil servant, with whom the politician must work, revels in the protection that is accorded to them via the good old transfer.
It would be interesting to hear the president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association and the Cabinet Secretary issue a charge similar to that of the Prime Minister's to the entire public sector.
I wonder how many would respond, and which civil servant would look either gentleman in the eye when such a charge is being given.
Every politician's biggest fear is defeat, and for some this is the consequence of a failure to do the work given. For others failure is the result of poor planning, or associating with the wrong people. Whatever the reason, politicians do not like to be regarded as failures.
It is a ghost that can haunt one for a long time. If one is therefore desirous of being a success, then that politician should simply do the things that successful people do. Work hard and work well.
WHAT REWARD?
Now, having worked hard and well, what is the reward? In private enterprise, salary increases and promotions are given. Politicians get re-elected and prime ministers decide who is deserving of that enviable front seat inside Gordon House.
Who will be given the correct praise and commendation for success, and on whose head will the crown of glory be placed?
History has a place for failures as it does for successes. In political life the jury retires every five years to arrive at its verdict.
May the Jamaican jury place in the appropriate place those who are failures, and may we place on record our appreciation for the successes of those who have toiled long and hard during the last seventeen years.
Living with the fear of failure and its consequences might be enough to get some persons to work hard and well.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.
