Nassau- This week marks the first anniversary of a known political hack in the important and constitutional post of Financial Secretary.
The results have been predictable.
Tax increases, a chaotic budget process and budget implementation, funds not been released to agencies so vendors are not being paid, poor revenue performance. Petty victimization in the Ministry of Finance, exemplified by very strange personnel moves (why send a trainee accountant from the Treasury to do policy work in Washington?) and baffling institutional restructuring (why would the Ministry of Finance hand over the management of its critical budget, accounting and revenue computer applications to the Office of the Prime Minister?).
His work habits has also been advised. Four day work weeks, substantial workday hours being spent on social media, unexplained absences from office, like every Tuesday mornings he spends in a cubicle at Inland Revenue watching You Tube.
His lack of availability to the public and to his public service colleagues as he remains hidden in his office when at work is also disturbing especially as he is part of a Government, which preach transparency and accountability.
He has also got in the habit inappropriately delegating of critical tasks, such as reading the Ministry files to understand prior decisions, to others leading to many embarrassing missteps for the Government (why is Michael Scott mis-educating the public on borrowings by a public entity?).
In short, he has been as advertised. If you did not know any better you would believe that in his frustration not getting the top marketing job at another telephone company.
Certainly, if this continues much longer that becomes a guarantee.
