THE EDITOR: The perception that if you are within the inner circle of the Government you can get anything you want was solidified in my mind with the announcement by the Prime Minister that former minister agriculture, lands and fisheries Clarence Rambharat is coming back into government and will take up a position in the yet to be created Single Point Land Management Authority (SPMA) and that his terms and conditions of employment will be determined by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO).
In other words, the Prime Minister is seeking Cabinet's support in forming a company while simultaneously instructing the CPO to determine the terms and conditions of employment of his nominee for the leadership role. In one announcement we have thrown out any idea that there is a process to form a company and that the hiring procedure is fair, transparent and available for suitably qualified citizens to access.
In the normal course of things, forming a company, state enterprise or entity requires a clear articulation of the problem to be solved or the service to be offered, followed by a careful definition of the core values and the mission of the organisation, development of the job description of the leaders and then engaging the hiring process.
If the Prime Minister publicly throws all the rules of engagement out of the window, what do you expect of the public servant when his friend asks a favour? What will motivate a junior person to feel a commitment to following the rules?
Successful organisations seek to recruit people who can advance the mission of the organisation and often use a transparent process to invite people who are inspired to help solve the problem. The failure of SPMA is almost written in the clouds because of the way it was introduced to the public.
SPMA is envisioned to solve a critical problem where state lands often end up being occupied without authorisation by people who are bold and savvy enough to outfox the system. The entity is intended to eliminate corruption associated with the management of state lands. A reasonable person cannot deny the need for regularisation and management of what happens with state lands, and given the historical inequity in the distribution of state lands, this issue must be managed transparently.
How will the SPMA differ in its role and responsibilities from the Land Management Division?
According to the Ministry of Agriculture's website (https://agriculture.gov.tt/divisions-units/divisions/land_management_division/), 'The Office of the Commissioner of State Lands (COSL) is charged with the overall management, distribution, and allocation of all state lands which include all shoreline below the high water mark and the seabed within the waters of Trinidad and Tobago.'
If this is not working and you have found corrupt practices, we should be investing time and effort in fixing the system, not creating another bureaucratic structure. The message of repair can be deeply fulfilling and will necessitate hard work and dedication. Instead of engaging in the ha
