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Marlon Penn: Persons in high places have no appreciation for Technical areas!

- Penn said years ago officers who were Permanent Secretaries were making more money & were the bosses of doctors
The Department of Information Technology has a shortage of programmers. Two have left the department recently to seek other opportunities in the private sector and the other for a change of career. This has resulted in the Department suffering daily because of the lack of programmers according to Financial Secretary Neil Smith.
Honorable Marlon Penn believes that persons in high position have little or no appreciation for the technical areas. He is calling for more recognition of officers in the technical professions and providing them with incentives to keep them on the job.
Honorable Marlon Penn believes that persons in high position have little or no appreciation for the technical areas. He is calling for more recognition of officers in the technical professions and providing them with incentives to keep them on the job.
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Appearing before the 2012 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) to defend their budget and speak to the challenges in the technical field of her agency was the Deputy Director of the Information Technology Department Ms. Lucia Donovan.

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 field

The 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!”

  • Wise Guy (11/04/2012, 13:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This goes for FSC as well. They recruit BVIslander college graduates which is good, but when they have little or no experience in the field it makes the BVI as an industry, on a whole, look like muppets! People will not sit in Government working for $3000 a month when a private company will pay them $6000 a month or more, it's just common sense. If these specialized areas of Government and/or statutory boards want qualified locals to show interest, they have to make them attractive, otherwise the turnover will be high and we'll be having the same foolish conversation over and over where in the end, expats will be hired and we'll still complain about it.
    • O Boy (11/04/2012, 14:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with wise guy, we have areas of specialization such as engineers, IT personnel, aviation, electrical and the list goes on. What you find is persons with these technical skills are taken by the private industry after Government provides them with the necessary experience. Mr. Penn is right, we need to start looking at skill set and pay persons for what they worth. It is only fair
  • What (11/04/2012, 14:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good looking out Smurf.
    • pig face (12/04/2012, 05:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Smurf bouy you looking out for your IT people dem…you want to mek sure after your one term you can get paid properly...lol
      • District 8 (12/04/2012, 09:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Poor you... When you guys don't have anything constructive to say why don't you stay quite from showing your ignorance. Your name is very appropriate, we the voters of district 8 are very happy with Hon. Penn and he will be there as long as he wants. But if I was him, I would move on from having to deal with some of you ungreatful people. He's quite a capable young man and will be alright in any field he chooses. So go read a book and try to make something of yourself.
        • hope Hill (12/04/2012, 10:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          i live in the 8 and vote in the 98 so please if you know what is best for you speak for yourself..BAM
  • one eye (11/04/2012, 15:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good point mr penn
  • big daddy Tom (11/04/2012, 15:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    good to hear Mr. Penn with an opinion on something!
  • judge (11/04/2012, 19:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    For real that is why the pwd and other places are short of Technical people no pay
  • B (11/04/2012, 21:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I hear all of that and support the stance of higher pay for the qualities a person possess so when are they, YOU ministers going to also step to the plate and realise the value of teachers and the hard work that they do and also create attractive incentives for them as well. With the way society is going there soon isn't going to be ant because the younger generation being trained will leave because of the behaviors faced from students as well as parents and the older generation will stay in the profession only unil their retirement age has been reached.
  • ------------------------- (12/04/2012, 05:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    lot of other people in the service needs higher pay..what about teachers, and thoes at solid waste??? ayo better do not start dat!
    • let the eat cake (12/04/2012, 13:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      and I know you are not one of them because you on the copmuter all day blogging on VINO...
  • WHO RUN THINGS? (12/04/2012, 18:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    MARLON TRYING HIS BEST BUT PICKERING RUN THE 7 AND 8 DISTRICTS


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