Marlon Penn: Persons in high places have no appreciation for Technical areas!
This department is responsible for government computers, lotus notes and a maintenance programme for same.
It was revealed that the Department is short of programmers which have resulted, according to the Financial Secretary Neil Smith in the Department of Information Technology (DIT), “suffering daily because of the lack of programmers”.
Ms. Donovan told the SFC that two programmers left, one went to seek other opportunities in the private sector as it was more attractive, and the other programmer wanted a change in career and transferred to a different Department.
Hon. Marlon Penn views on the technical fieldThe Member for the eight district Marlon Penn himself with a background in Information Technology stated that persons in a Technical field were sought after and that persons wanted a change in career should be given an incentive.
Honourable Penn stated that the Technical field should be made more attractive. He enquired whether there were some incentives that could be put forward to keep the Programmers. To this, the FS Neil Smith stated that in his opinion, Technical positions should be paid to the same level as Administrative positions.
Honourable Penn told the SFC that persons in high positions have little or no appreciation for those Technical areas. He noted that several years ago officers, who were Permanent Secretaries, were making more money and were the bosses of Doctors.
He stated that the government cannot expect to build a country in a dynamic society under those circumstances. Hon. Penn told the select committee that the country is going to invest to send someone to study computer programming, that person would come back after four years and after two years on the job they are going to leave.
Minister for Health and Social Development Ronnie W. Skelton asked if there was a solution. The member for the eight district stated that they have to make the computer programmer post more attractive. He noted that the solution was to recognize persons in those technical professions and provide incentives to keep them on the job.
The Member for the eight district Penn enquired whether the staff who works at the DIT were BVIslanders and whether the vacant Programmer post was advertised. To this, Ms. Donovan stated that the majority of the staff within her Department were BVIslanders. She further stated that a request was made to advertise the programmer post, but she was not quite sure what had taken place as she has not seen any vacancies being advertised.
The Deputy Director Donovan appeared before the committee because her boss was on vacation leave, according to the Financial Secretary.
13 Responses to “Marlon Penn: Persons in high places have no appreciation for Technical areas!”