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UPDATE: Public servants urged to stay united!
It was the occasion of the "CSA Forum" held in the conference room of Maria's by the Sea where the turnout was described as disappointing by Chairperson of the programme and Past President of VICSA, Mr Wendell Gaskin. None-the-less those who showed up made full use of the opportunity of the interactive session.
President of VICSA, Ms Tasha K. Bertie challenged civil servants to stay together as a united body. "The strength of our togetherness is evident in what we have achieved in our partnerships with the key businesses such as reduced gas prices for CSA members at Delta Petroleum. The strength of our togetherness is also evident in the reduced insurance rates provided," she said is only a small sample of the benefits of being part of VICSA.
According to Ms Bertie, because of the worldwide economic down turn and other factors, public servants are facing their full share of challenges in the areas of budget cuts, personnel shortage and the constant highlighting of weaknesses, rather than the celebration of the strengths.
"All these challenges and more, but yet as public officers, we continue to strive for excellence, we continue to go beyond the call of duty. For this, as your president of the CSA, I congratulate each of you and I say thanks," stated Ms Bertie.
The topics were covered were Private Interest, the revised Leave Policy and Health insurance, which was facilitated by Acting Director of Human Resources Department Mrs Michelle Donovan-Stephens who was assisted by Acting Human Resource Manager Mrs Stacia Huggins-Foy.
Director of KPMG (BVI) Ltd, Mr Grant Green spoke on the topic of the United States Citizens Tax contribution while Mr Shan Mohamed spoke of the benefits that can be derived from being associated with Nagico Insurance.
The cream of the CSA forum saw intense and in-depth discussion about the recently revised Statutes, Rules and policies on Ethical Conduct for Public Officers and health insurance issues as it related to BUPA's role.
Arrangements are to be made for a special session to discuss and ventilate issues of concern on the aforementioned.
See previous article posted on May 23, 2013
VICSA to hold forum to discuss matters affecting civil servants
- Forum to be held today May 23, 2013 at Maria’s by the Sea
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Noting that it has been listening to the many concerns of civil servants, the Virgin Islands Civil Service Association (VICSA) will be meeting with public officers today May 23, 2013 at Maria’s by the Sea conference room to have discussions about some “very pertinent matters” affecting them.
This is according to President of VICSA, Ms Tasha K. Bertie.
“What we have been doing is listening to the voices of our public officers and these are issues that persons have really been voicing concerns about and we thought it best to bring the key individuals within the public service that are outside that would be able to share information regarding what these issues are as well as to get feedback from public officers, said Ms Bertie in an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online.
The VICSA President said the forum would see key individuals from the public service making presentations, including the Acting Director of Human Resources Michelle Donovan-Stevens who would be discussing the matter of Leave Policy, the Public Interest Form, Conflict of Interest Form and Insurance Scheme.
VICSA also hopes to have discussions from persons with the International Affairs Secretariat on matters relating to the US Taxation Scheme that should be coming on board for US citizens living in the VI.
“We are not just limiting the discussions to these particular issues. These are what we consider the most prevailing ones but the forum is also open to other matters that public officers may feel need to be addressed,” Ms Bertie explained.
The forum will also present an opportunity for incentives to be offered to public servants by corporate entities. “We have developed key relationships with businesses within the VI who will be offering incentives to public officers who are paid members of the CSA. These organisations should be there making presentations as well.”
The business entities expected to make presentations include Delta Petroleum, Nagico and Thornton Smith.
Following her election to the helm of VICSA on March 8, 2012 Ms Bertie had reiterated her team’s position that the concerns of the Civil Service will become the agenda for the team.
“I would like congratulate and thank all public officers for coming out and exercising their democratic right by voting. It is now time for us to come together as one so that we can turn the Civil Service Association into a first class organization. We look forward to meeting with all public officers, so that we can work together to make this the best two years for the Civil Service Association.” she said, “Though we are the ones elected, you are the ones that matter and in the next two years we build a team that exemplifies what T.E.A.M. means; working together everyone achieves more”.
Today’s forum at 3 P.M. is expected to offer such an opportunity to achieve that objective as stated by Ms Bertie in March 2012.
All public officers are invited to attend.
The Virgin Islands Civil Service Association acts as a corporate body with objectives inclusive of uniting all public servants of the Territory and establishing and maintaining high standards of efficiency in the Public Service.
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34 Responses to “UPDATE: Public servants urged to stay united!”
CSA does not have the balls to represent the interest of civil servants that is why they have not been taken seriously in assisting the civil servants, so yes they are failing.