President Danny Faure chaired a meeting today with Directors General and Directors in the Public Service. The meeting was held at the STC Conference Room, and formed part of the President’s regular programme of keeping in touch with the concerns of the public service, and to address those concerns, as well as motivate and guide staff in the implementation of Government’s plans of action.

Among the issues raised at this afternoon’s meeting were the need to update and modernise policies in all sectors in line with emerging developments. Government was studying the recommendations of the salary review committee.  The difficulty of maintaining punctuality at on account of traffic congestion at peak hours needed to be addressed; solutions such as staggering office hours were proposed.

The importance of training and staff development opportunities for staff was also highlighted, as well as funding for the cost of replacement staff when officers proceeded on long term training.

The President emphasised the importance of internal consultations and communication between Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure smooth coordination in policy implementation.

Government should also create a more enabling environment in which the private sector, which was the engine of the economy, could contribute to the maximum in national development.All staff should also become more conscious of their accountability in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The President expressed satisfaction that public officers were increasingly giving priority to observing the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability.The President thanked all the Directors General and Directors for their hard work, and urged them and their staff to continue to promote a culture of service, and to always give of their best.