Time to restore proper leadership

 THE tussle over the position of Secretary for the Department of Community Development seems far from over.
A National Executive Council decision and a National Court ruling have created a battleground for two senior civil servants to make claims and counter claims over the position.
Instead of settling the matter with finality, the court ruling raises further questions because changes had taken place since the injunction by an aggrieved departmental head were filed.
This is a department that has control of important functions such as youth, religion, disability services, family welfare and the informal economy.
It is therefore in the public interest that this vital government agency functions in the best possible way and under a stable leadership.
What is happening with the appointments of the head of department is most unfortunate. 
Sidelined Secretary Joseph Klapat had sought a judicial review of Cabinet’s revocation of his appointment on December 29, 2011.
While that case was before the court, the NEC again terminated him on March 5 and appointed Anna Solomon acting secretary.
Justice Collin Makail ru­led on March 21 that Klapat’s removal 26 months ago was illegal, null and void. 
Solomon, one the other hand, argues that events had transpired since Klapat filed the judicial review of his removal.
If this is the case, the sidelined secretary will have to file another case challenging Solomon’s acting appointment. Klapat’s sacking was reportedly formalised in the National Gazette and cited evidence of misappropriation, which warranted revocation of his appointment.
The sidelined secretary has since advised his lawyers to file court documents to set aside the NEC decision of March 5 to appoint Solomon acting secretary.
If she continues to remain in office, contempt charges will be brought against her.
Should last Friday’s court ruling apply to any consequent action by NEC after its Dec 29, 2011?
Perhaps that will determine whether he initiates fresh proceedings .
Meanwhile, the department’s staff morale and service delivery are likely to suffer. A senior department official is reported as saying that staff morale was at its lowest and there was no coordination between top management and the public servants.“We come to the office in the morning and sit around doing nothing then go home in the afternoon.”
The staffer forgot to add that he and his colleagues still collected their pay every fortnight despite the current dogfight between the former and current heads.
The department is facing serious operational problems. For instance, the Civil Registry Office is not functioning to expectations as piles of registration forms submitted over the months keep growing into mountains of paperwork. While the Department of Community Development is facing a leadership issue, other departments and agencies are being kept in the dark about so-called acting appointments. The appointments of departmental heads and other public office holders by the NEC are based on the recommendations of the Public Service Commission.
Many of these appointments are on an acting basis but the duration of their probationary period is anyone’s guess. The public service seems to have a lot of “actors” due to the uncertainty hanging over their heads.
Acting heads of departments and agencies do not seem to be in firm control of their organisations and are likely to shy away from making strategic decisions or may not have the full legal authority to do so. This is a likely reason that crucial government business is left uncompleted even with the necessary staff and resources.
If the PSC is responsible for ensuring that public service appointments are done in a timely manner to avoid any confusion and even confrontations over positions, as in the Department of Community Development’s case, it should be made to carry out its functions more efficiently and effectively.
The battle over the head of department position has gone for long enough must end now.  Whoever gets permanently appointed should be allowed do their job without any uncertainty so as to restore proper leadership and management of the organisation.