‘I have been acting for almost 4 years’ - Michelle Donovan-Stevens
The Department Head Mrs. Michelle Donovan-Stevens has been acting as the Human Resources Director for almost four years.
Mrs. Donovan-Stevens revealed this while her Department was before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee where they were examining the 2014 Draft Budget Estimates.
It was in response to a question at the Standing Finance Committee’s (SFC) deliberation put forward by the Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton who asked Mrs. Donovan-Stevens how long she has been acting in her post. To this question the officer answered indicating that she had been acting in her position for almost four years.
The Ag. Director of Human Resources also told the committee that her office relies on recommendations from Heads of Departments and Permanent Secretaries for officers in the civil service to be confirmed to become permanent and pensionable to their post.
She said, “This was usually granted after a one-year probationary period.” Mrs. Donovan-Stevens in responding to a question from the Leader of the Opposition Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE added that, “after successfully completing the probationary period, an individual could be confirmed based on the Permanent Secretary/Head of Department’s recommendation.”
David Archer tried to shift blame without addressing Ag. Director’s confirmation
So in other words it is clear that her own confirmation has not occurred because of lack of positive recommendation from her own Permanent Secretary (PS) David D. Archer and Deputy Governor V. Inez Archibald who also has a say in the matter as the Human Resources Department falls under her portfolio.
For his part Mr. Archer, who has never acted a day as a PS but instead was confirmed directly to the post, claims that it was a serious topic and that they had co-mingled different types of reasons why officers could not or would not be confirmed.
He also told the SFC that the Department of Human Resources sent out notifications to Permanent Secretaries about persons who were eligible, but had not received confirmation. However, Mr. Archer never told the Committee if he himself had responded to those letters in regard to his own Ag. Director of Human Resources.
Mr. Archer also suggested that perhaps they could be given the power to call upon Department Heads or Permanent Secretaries to find out why persons had not been confirmed, but again shifted to other Heads of Department and PS but never took responsibility on Mrs. Donovan-Stevens’ matter.
The PS in the Deputy Governor’s Office also suggested that the list of non-confirmed officers in the civil service could be sent to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to have an input in the matter; however he very well knows that the PSC only acts on recommendations before the body.
Territorial Member Honourable Archibald C. Christian told the SFC that he believed “no one should be acting in a position for more than two years.”
Morale in the civil service is at an all-time low because of political victimization, unfair treatment of civil servants, lack of tools to work with and blatant violation of their rights following the 2011 elections, with jobs based on politics not merit and officers not receiving their full increments. Many have also cited the long years of acting in posts as a contributor to the low morale.
The post of Director of Human Resources is a government job with a salary range of $68,764-$100,744 in Grade 18.
38 Responses to “‘I have been acting for almost 4 years’ - Michelle Donovan-Stevens”
Com'on man D...d! You shot up to the top with one of the highest salaries in the space of no time just because of your brotherhood but others have to go through this long acting career like they in Hollywood and I haven't seen a movie staring these people as yet.
The only movie I'm seeing are is the one with these ministers going from bad to worst. Then these questions are being asked in standing finance by the same people who have to approve them so they know the answers to the questions already.
This is just another form of control by playing mind games with the hard working public servants of this country.
"When yuh know the ropes, yuh get what yuh want when yuh want it. Some people acting for donkey yeeeeeaaaars and can get confirm. The wind ain even blow gainst her fire and is a dunn deal. Well sah, one thing I know fuh sure, GOD AIN SLEEPING. Justice will be served."
These same devils does want to rub elbows with you on Sunday then bend you over and shaft you Monday to Friday without mercy.