PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO … · 21/01/2015 · may not be available locally. E.g. in the field of medicine. We anticipate that the Parliament, the GHRS,

i

INQUIRY INTO THE

ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS

OF THE

GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES

COMPANY LIMITED (GHRS)

PAPER NO: /2015 PARL NO. 14/6/13

Ordered to be printed with the Minutes of

Proceedings

and Notes of Evidence

PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Fifth Session (2014/2015)

TENTH PARLIAMENT

EIGHTEENTH (18th) REPORT

of the

Joint Select Committee appointed to inquire into and report on Government

Ministries, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Group 2)

(GROUP 2)

Eighteenth Report of the Joint Select Committee on Ministries, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Group 2)

ii

An electronic copy of this report can be found on the Parliament website: www.ttparliament.orghttp://www.ttparliament.org/committee_business.php?mid=19&id=149&pid=25 The Joint Select Committee appointed to inquire into and report to Parliament on Ministries (Group 2), and on the Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises falling under their purview Contact the Committee’s Secretariat

Telephone: 624-7275 Extensions 2277/2288/2282, Fax: 625-4672 Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


iii

EIGHteenth Report

Of the

Joint Select Committee Appointed To Inquire Into And

Report On Government Ministries, Statutory

Authorities And State Enterprises (Group 2)

ON THE

The Administration and Operations of the

GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES

COMPANY LIMITED (ghrs)

Date Laid: HoR: _____________________ Senate: ___________________


iv

THE COMMITTEE

Dr. Victor Wheeler

CHAIRMAN

Mr. David Small Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie VICE-CHAIRMAN MEMBER

.

Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP Mr. Clifton De Coteau, MP Dr. Lester Henry MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER

Mr. Collin Partap, MP Mr. Kevin Ramnarine Dr. Lincoln Douglas, MP MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER

Mrs. Raziah Amed Ms. Alicia Hospedales, MP Mr. Fitzgerald Jeffrey, MP

MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER


v

Committee Mandate and Establishment

1.1. Section 66 of the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago declares, that not later than three

months after the first meeting of the House of Representatives, the Parliament shall appoint Joint

Select Committees to inquire into and report to both Houses in respect of Government Ministries,

Municipal Corporations, Statutory Authorities, State Enterprises and Service Commissions, in relation

to their administration, the manner of exercise of their powers, their methods of functioning and any

criteria adopted by them in the exercise of their powers and functions.

1.2. Motions related to this purpose were passed in the House of Representatives and Senate on

September 17, 2010 and October 12, 2010, respectively, and thereby established, inter alia, the Joint

Select Committee to inquire into and report to Parliament on Ministries with responsibility for

the business set out in the Schedule as Group 2, and on the Statutory Authorities and State

Enterprises falling under their purview with regard to their administration, the manner of

exercise of their powers, their methods of functioning and any criteria adopted by them in the

exercise of their powers and functions.

1.3. The entities which fall under the purview of the Committee is attached as Appendix I.

Powers of the Joint Select Committee

1.4. Standing Orders 71B of the Senate and 101 of the House of Representatives delineate the core

powers of the Committee which include inter alia:

to review and report on all matters relating to:

the statute law relating to the Ministry/body assigned to it;

the program and policy objectives of the Ministry/Body and its effectiveness in

the implementation of same;

other matters relating to the management , organization of the ministry or body,

as the Committee deems it fit;

to send for persons, papers and records;

to adjourn from place to place;

to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not otherwise readily

available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Committee’s order of reference;

and


vi

to communicate with any other Committee of Parliament on matters of common

interest.

Membership

1.5 The Committee comprises the following members:

1. Dr. Victor Wheeler* - Chairman

2. Mr. David Small* - Vice-Chairman

3. Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP- Member

4. Mr. Clifton De Coteau, MP- Member

5. Dr. Lincoln Douglas, MP- Member

6. Mr. Collin Partap, MP - Member

7. Ms. Alicia Hospedales, MP- Member

8. Mr. Fitzgerald Jeffrey, MP - Member

9. Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie- Member

10. Mr. Kevin Ramnarine - Member

11. Ms. Raziah Ahmed* - Member

12. Dr. Lester Henry - Member

Secretariat Support

1.6 The following officers were assigned to assist the Committee:

o Mr. Julien Ogilvie - Secretary

o Ms. Candice Skerrette - Assistant Secretary

o Mr. Indar Sieunarine - Procedural Clerk Assistant

o Ms. Katharina Gokool - Graduate Research Assistant


vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................... 2-3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 5

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 6

Background ............................................................................................................................................ 6

Objectives of the Inquiry ........................................................................................................................ 7

Conduct of the Inquiry ........................................................................................................................... 8

THE EVIDENCE .......................................................................................................... 10

Input and Performance ........................................................................................................................ 10

The fillling of vacancies throughout the Public Service ..................................................................... 10

Application of Best Practices .............................................................................................................. 11

Professional Development Programme (PDP) .................................................................................... 13

Gold to Diamond Vision (G2D) ........................................................................................................... 16

The Model Organisational Structure .................................................................................................. 20

Procedures for Contracting and Outsourcing of Services ................................................................... 23

The Strategic Objectives of the newly instated Board ....................................................................... 25

Major Challenges of the Company ....................................................................................................... 26

Achievements of the Company ............................................................................................................. 29

Relationship between the GHRS and other Stakeholders ........................................................ …………...33

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................... 38-44

APPENDIX I ............................................................................................................... 46

APPENDIX II .............................................................................................................. 52

APPENDIX III ............................................................................................................. 63

APPENDIX IV ............................................................................................................ 99

APPENDIX V ............................................................................................................ 115


1


2

ABBREVIATIONS

BOA BUSINESS OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

BoD BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CEO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CPO CHIEF PERSONNEL OFFICER

DPA DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

G2D GOLD TO DIAMOND

GHRS GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOUCES SERVICES COMPANY LIMITED

HR HUMAN RESOURCES

HRM HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

IDP INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

IT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

MBTI MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR

MFA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

MoFE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE ECONOMY

MPA MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

NPC NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL

OD ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OSH OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

PDP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

PSA PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION

PSC PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

PSNC PUBLIC SECTOR NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

SATD SCHOLARSHIP AND ADVANCED TRAINING DIVISION

SHRMC STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL


3

UTT UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

VP VICE-PRESIDENT


4

TABLES AND DIAGRAMS

TABLE NO. DETAILS PAGE NO.

1 Number of clients and recruitment contracts for the period 2010 to 2013

10

2 MPA Projects Assigned to GHRS in fiscal 2013/2014

17

3 Positions re-advertised by GHRS during the period 2010-

2013

20

4 Challenges experienced by the company for the period

2010 to 2013

26-27

5 Major achievements of GHRS

29-30

6 Recruitment services provided to public entities for the

period 2010 to 2013

32

DIAGRAM NO.

DETAILS

PAGE NO.

1 The current and proposed structures of the Public

Service

17

2 Organisation Chart as approved by PSNC in 2007 18

3 Redesigned organisational structure 19


5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

At its twenty-fifth meeting held on Friday October 4, 2013, the Committee resolved to pursue

an inquiry into the GHRS. The main objectives of the inquiry were as follows:

i. To assess the Company’s input and performance with regards to the fulfillment of

the following strategic goals and objectives:

a. the filling of vacancies throughout the public service and public enterprises;

b. the application of HR best practices across the public sector;

c. the execution of the Professional Development Programme (PDP);

d. the attainment of the Gold to Diamond (G2D) Vision; and

e. the remodeling of the organizational structure.

ii. To acquire insight into the procedures that are applied in the contracting and or

outsourcing of services.

iii. To inquire into the strategic objectives of the newly appointed Board at the GHRS.

iv. To understand the major challenges faced by the GHRS and to gain an appreciation

of the achievements of the Company for the period 2010-2013.

v. To determine the nature of the GHRSs’ association/relations with the various Service

Commissions, State Enterprises, Municipal Corporations, Regional Health Authorities

vis-à-vis the recruitment of staff to service these bodies.

The Committee obtained both oral and written evidence based on the objectives listed above.

After analysing the evidence (summarized in section 3 of this report). It was noted that the

company could be classified as a special-purpose state enterprise that was created to augment

the Human Resource Management capacity with in the public service. Whether the company

has fulfilled this mandate effectively is debatable given that it is still striving to position itself

as the preferred specialist human resource recruitment entity within the public sector.


6

The company’s involvement in the recruitment of employees into public service entities is

limited to contract employees and the fact that the company provided recruitment services for

1, 381 contract employees during the period 2010-2013, at an average of 460 per year was not

in our view an indication that the company was making a significant impact on alleviating the

human resource shortages in the public service.

In light of this, we identified certain issues concerning the operations of GHRS that should

be urgently addressed as a means of enhancing the efficiency of the Company and to increase

its contribution to building the human resource capacity of the public service. Some of the

issues flagged by the committee were:

a. low market penetration in that the company is not considered the preferred human

resource services provider by public service entities. Thus, there is an underutilization

of the company’s services by several state entities such as State Enterprises and local

government bodies;

b. inadequate staff to execute and expand the range of human resource services

provided; and

c. instability at the corporate governance level of the Corporation i.e. the Board of

Directors of the company.

As a consequence, we formulated appropriate recommendations to address these issues.

Section 4 comprises the findings and recommendations of the

Committee. The Committee also noted some commendable aspects of the Company’s

operations which included:

a. its application of modern practices and techniques, particularly in the area of

recruitment and selection such as psychometric tests;


7

b. competitive pricing of its services. In a market survey conducted by the company,

it was revealed that the company’s prices were among the most competitive within the

human resource services industry;

c. the company’s development of a new Strategic Plan for the period 2014-2017 to

guide its operations;

d. the company’s efforts to recruit personnel from abroad for the benefit of the

public service. This is welcomed since in many instances, the required skills and talent

may not be available locally. E.g. in the field of medicine.

We anticipate that the Parliament, the GHRS, the Ministry of Public Administration and other

stakeholders would give due consideration to the findings and recommendations contained in

this Report with a view to enhancing the operations of this important organization within the

human resource management cadre of the state. The Committee looks forward to reviewing

the Minister’s response to this Report, which becomes due, 60 days after it is presented to the

Houses of Parliament.


8

2. INTRODUCTION

Background

2.1. Cabinet Minute No. 1990 of August 4, 2005 appointed a Human Resource Strategy

Committee to determine what should be done to enhance the human resource capacity in the

public service. The Cabinet accepted the main recommendation (by Cabinet Minute No.

1961 of August 3, 2006) to establish a human resource management company State-owned

Limited Liability Company. The implementation of this recommendation gave rise to the

establishment of the Government Human Resource Services Company Limited (GHRS),

which was incorporated on October 26, 2006.

2.2. The Company is governed by by-laws as well as the State Enterprise Performance Manual

of the Ministry of Finance and the Economy (MoFE).

2.3. The main objectives of the Company are to:

a. collaborate with the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) to build the human

resource capacity of the public service;

b. provide human resource management services to Ministries and Departments;

and

c. deliver a prompt, courteous and professional customer service.

2.4. The core services offered by the Company comprises:

- Recruitment and Selection;

- Training Design and Delivery;

- Assessment and Development; and

- Customised HR Solutions.

2.5. The Committee noted that there have been reports in the media that referred to allegations

of misconduct, in particular, conflicts of interests which arose out of transctions involving a

Member of the Company’s Board.


9

2.6. The Committee became aware that no additional disciplinary action was taken against the

party involved by the Company or the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA). Alternately, the

matter was referred to the MoFE to be examination.

2.7. Given the foregoing and acknowledging that increasing and enhancing the human

resources within the public service is an essential prerequisite for improving the delivery of

public services to the population of this country, the Committee determined that it was

important to examine the administration and operations of the GHRS.

Objectives of the Inquiry

2.8. At a meeting held on December 13, 2013, the Committee agreed that the following

will comprise the objectives of the inquiry:

vi. To assess the Company’s input and performance with regards to the fulfillment

of the following strategic goals and objectives:

a. the filling of vacancies throughout the public service and public

enterprises;




e. the remodeling of the organizational structure.

vii. To acquire insight into the procedures that are applied in the contracting and

or outsourcing of services.

viii. To inquire into the strategic objectives of the newly appointed Board at the

GHRS.

ix. To understand the major challenges faced by the GHRS and to gain an

appreciation of the achievements of the Company for the period 2010-2013.


10

x. To determine the nature of the GHRSs’ association/relations with the various

Service Commissions, State Enterprises, Municipal Corporations, Regional

Health Authorities vis-à-vis the recruitment of staff to service these bodies.

Execution of the Inquiry

2.9. On January 10, 2014, a public hearing was held with representatives of the MPA and

GHRS at which time the Committee questioned the officials on the various matters pertinent

to the inquiry Objectives. Prior to the public hearing, notice was given as to the general

objectives of the inquiry and in response, written submissions were received from GHRS.

These responses provided a frame of reference for the oral questions pursued at the hearing.

2.10. The MPA and GHRS were represented at the meeting of Friday January 10, 2014 by:

Representatives of the Ministry of Public Administration:

Ms. Gillian Macintyre Permanent Secretary

Mr. Richard Madray Deputy Permanent Secretary

Ms. Annalisa Sankar Senior Legal Officer

Mrs. Abigail Bynoe Manager, Policy, Strategy and Monitoring Unit

Ms. Josanne Germain Strategic Analyst

Representatives of the Government Human Resources Services Company Limited:

Dr. Franklin Ali Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Wayne Munro Chairman

Mr. Khari Murray Vice-President, Human Capital Management

Mr. Geoffrey Lewis Vice-President, Corporate Planning and Deputy CEO

Ms. Allyson Alexander Internal Auditor

2.11. Subsequent to the public hearing of January 10, 2014, additional information was

requested from the GHRS. The requested information was submitted under letter dated

February 20, 2014.


11

2.12. The draft of this Report was considered and approved with amendments at a meeting

of the Committee held on Friday January 16, 2015.

2.13. The Minutes of the Meeting during which the public hearing was held are attached

as Appendix II and the Verbatim Notes as Appendix III.


12

3. THE EVIDENCE

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF STRATEGIC GOALS AND

OBJECTIVES

Filling Vacancies throughout the Public Service and Public Enterprises

3.1.1 GHRS fills contract vacancies and provides recruitment assistance upon the request

of a government agency. The Committee noted that GHRS was involved in various aspects

of the recruitment of 1,381 contract employees during the period 2010 to 2013. Table 1

provides a breakdown of the number of clients and recruitment contracts fiscal years

2010/2011, 2011/2012, and 2012/2013.

TABLE 1

Number of clients and recruitment contracts for the period 2010 to 2013

Fiscal year 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013

Clients

Ministries 16 16 15

State Enterprises 13 11 2

Regional Health Authority 1 1 -

Type of

recruitment

contract

Recommendations for the filling of

vacancies

n/d n/d 292

Advertising for vacancies n/d n/d 322

Sifting for vacancies n/d n/d 24

Database searches n/d n/d 3

Total Number of Contracts 300 440 641


13

3.1.2. Given the information in Table 1 above, the Committee noted that an aggregate of one

thousand, three hundred and eighty-one (1,381) interviews/advertisement/sifting/database searches

were conducted by GHRS during the period 2010-2013 for contract employment in the Public

Sector.

Application of HR best practices

Strengthening internal capacity and enhancing operational effectiveness

3.1.3. In 2012, the Company streamlined its operations and instituted a more focused

approach to the delivery of core HR services as follows:

Recruitment, Assessment and Selection;

Training Design and Delivery;

Assessment and Development; and

Customised HR Solutions.

3.1.4. The Company is also seeking to retool its business through building a competent and

experienced team that can treat with competency-based recruitment and selection. This team

would be expected to provide services in the areas of competency-based interviews, training

clients, performing HR audits, compensation reviews, drafting job descriptions, job redesign

and organisation transformation issues. It is hoped that the strengthening of its resources

would enable the Company to expand its array of services as well as increase its capacity to

provide quality service to a larger number of clients.

Recruitment, Assessment and Selection

3.1.5. GHRS has moved to a multi-phased assessment approach to assess individuals and to

enhance the potential of attaining individual vs job fit. Officials indicated that research data

has suggested that the multi-phased assessment approach to recruitment has a person-job fit

accuracy of sixty-eight percent (68%) during employee recruitment, whereas interviews have

a fifteen percent (15%) accuracy rate, followed by references with a twelve percent (12%)

accuracy rate.


14

3.1.6. The Company offers clients the competency-based services using samples, aptitude

tests, psychometric assessments and competency based interviewing. This robust and

transparent process is aligned to current “best practices” and is more advanced than the

process used by public sector entities.

Training, Design and Delivery

3.1.7. The shift towards a multi-phased assessment approach required structured training

programmes and on-the-job direct experiences to improve the ability of managers.

Accordingly, since 2011, the Company has embarked on several HR training workshops,

including a competency-based job analysis workshop with forty (40) participants and a

competency-based interviewing workshop with one hundred and ninety-five (195)

participants.

3.1.8. Competency-based interviews, includes the design and administration of work samples

and psychometric testing. GHRS utilizes WAVE psychometric testing and 16PF

psychometric assessment.

3.1.9. Prior to 2013, staff trained in psychometric testing subsequently left the organisation

and the Company resorted to outsourcing competency-based psychometric testing. However,

in 2013, in order to build internal capacity, four (4) Client Services employees were trained in

administering and interpreting the internationally recognised WAVE psychometric testing;

while three (3) members of staff were trained in 16PF psychometric assessment. As such, the

application of these scientifically benefit from the added dimension of better predicting on-

the-job performance in selecting the best fit candidates.

Assessment and Development

3.1.10. The Company indicated in its submission that in 2014, it will administer workshops in

the following areas:

Performance Management

Change Management

Train the Trainer

Organisational Development

HR Process Mapping

Determination of Public Sector Salary

Increments


15

3.1.11. Additionally, GHRS is currently collaborating with the MPA to develop a performance

management training programme which is at the conceptualisation stage.

Customised HR Solutions

3.1.12. A client can engage GHRS to provide either full or partial recruitment, assessment and

selection services. Full recruitment, assessment and selection includes advertisement designs,

online and print media advertising, database searches for suitable candidates, shortlisting of

candidates, development of work samples, administration of psychometric testing, drafting

interviewer questions and participation in competency-based interviews.

The Professional Development Programme (PDP)

3.1.13. The MPA requested the Company to design and deliver a Professional Development

Programme (PDP) for returning scholars. In the first instance, thirty (30) out of three hundred

(300) returning scholars voluntarily participated in a pilot professional development

programme which was developed and managed by the Company, in 2009. The PDP does not

treat with the job placement for returning scholars as this responsibility lies with the MPA.

3.1.14. The major objectives of the PDP were:

to encourage scholars to realize their true potential by developing their

professional skills in a work environment;

to build competencies critical to achieving developed national status;

to create a web of opportunities for knowledge development through training;

and

to encourage the retention of the country’s highest performing scholars in the

Public Service.

3.1.15. A development centre approach was used in piloting the programme wherein

participant’s performance levels were assessed based on the following competencies:


16

- Drive for Results

- Learning and Improving

- Customer Focus

- Decision Making

- Building Productive Relationships

- Communicating with impact (written)

- Communication with impact (oral)

- Constructive Thinking

- Ethics & Integrity

3.1.16. Participant’s competencies were measured by using three (3) exercises which were

incorporated into the programme. They also participated in a psychometric assessment to

determine their managerial capabilities and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) which

outlines ways in which their performance can be improved in the various competencies, in

order to offset perceived deficiencies.

3.1.17. During the period 2010 to 2012, subsequent to the pilot programme, there was an

interruption in the programme because the Company lacked the resources to maintain its

continuance. For example, MPA was unable to allocate financial resources in order to engage

the services of the Company and lacked the appropriate staff to coordinate the programme

alongside the Company.

3.1.18. Nonetheless, the programme was reinstated in May 2012, when the Scholarship and

Advanced Training Division (SATD) of the MPA engaged the Company to facilitate Cohort

1 (C1) and Cohort 2 (C2) of the PDP in 2013. Accordingly, at the conclusion of November

2012, the Company and SATD began advertising the PDP C1 and C2 to accumulate two (2)

cohorts consisting of twenty-six (26) returning scholars each.

3.1.19. These two cohorts were contacted to undergo an online psychometric assessment on

January 25th, 2013 using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, one (1) week prior to

the commencement of each development centre. Thereafter each candidate was issued a

report and the Company held forty five (45) minute feedback sessions to discuss the findings

of the assessments.


17

PDP Feedback Mechanism

3.1.20. Currently, there is no established mechanism to track the progress of participants after

they exit the programme. However, feedback from participants pertaining to the various

benefits gained by the scholars and information regarding the nature of support provided to

the scholars by their line supervisors and assessors was obtained during the programme which

runs over the period of three (3) months. The Committee was informed that a returning

scholar’s forum was in operation at the time. The forum allow for ‘smile sheet’ type of

feedback to be provided by returning scholars who participated in the programme.

The Gold to Diamond (G2D) Vision

3.1.21. The Gold to Diamond (G2D) Programme was launched in 2012 as part of the

celebration of golden anniversary of Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T) independence. G2D

represents a ten (10) year journey from 2012 to 2022 towards a modernized, citizen-centric

public service. T&T will celebrate its diamond jubilee in the year 2022.

3.1.22. The diamond model is built on four (4) main pillars as follows:

1. People;

2. Governance;

3. Infrastructure; and

4. Service delivery.

3.1.23. This Model is further dissected in reference to the three C’s used to describe a diamond

in the Public Service; i.e. capability, culture and connectedness.

3.1.24. The structure of the Public Service is also intended to be reshaped from a pyramid to

diamond-shape structure (See Diagram 1 below)to allow for the executive at the top level, a

broader middle management level (with technical and professional streams) which would

provide for increased delegation from the top and a narrower bottom level. It is expected that

the rationalization of lower level staff will entail the integration of the clerical and secretarial

classes. Thus far, such integration at the bottom level has been initiated by the MPA with the

creation of the position of Management Support Officers. In this regard, the Ministry indicated

that it was engaged in negotiations with the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Chief

Personnel Officer (CPO) regarding this new position.


18

DIAGRAM 1

Current and proposed new structure of the Public Service

New HRM architecture

3.1.25. The MPA will enable G2D through dialogue and collaboration with all stakeholders.

However, the Company’s role in relation to the G2D vision will be limited to:

Competency based recruitment and selection services to Ministries and state

agencies;

Organizing and facilitating Performance Management and Assessment Centres;

Designing and delivering standard and customized training solutions; and

Designing and delivering customized HR solutions such as:

HR Audits;

HR Planning;

Job Analysis;

Job Evaluation; and

Job Description Writing.

3.1.26. During the period 2012/2013 the company was appointed by its line Ministry to

provide the following services:


19

provided recruitment services for fifteen (15) positions;

facilitated Competency-Based Interviewing Workshops - several workshops were

conducted with a total of one hundred and twenty four (124) participants;

facilitated a Job Analysis & Job Description Writing Workshop - there was a five (5)

day workshop for thirty (30) participants;

facilitated a Deputy Permanent Secretaries Retreat - this included sessions on

Coaching and Mentoring, Team-building and Critical Thinking for thirty five (35)

participants;

facilitated an Interview Preparation, Resume Writing and Networking Workshop -

sessions were held as part of the PDP for returning scholars; and

performed Business Operations Assistant Competency Assessments – 339 candidates

for the positions of Business Operations I (BOA I) and Business Operations Assistant

(BOA II) participated in a two-hour competency assessment exercise in October 2013.

Eighty-four (84) BOA I and Forty- five (45) BOA II, satisfactorily met the

requirements.

3.1.27. As it pertains to fiscal 2013/2014, the Company was engaged by its line Ministry to

execute the programmes identified in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2

MPA projects assigned to GHRS in fiscal 2013/2014

No. Project Description GHRS

Service Area

1. Orientation for Deputy Permanent Secretaries (DPSs) Other Customized HR Solutions

2. Coaching & Mentoring for Executive Members of the

Public Service

Training Design & Delivery

3. Design & Delivery of Training Programme -

Change Management



OD & Process Mapping



Project Management



Train the Trainer



20

No. Project Description GHRS

Service Area


Performance Management



Determination of Increments



Managing Recruitment & Selection


10. Design & Delivery of Training Intervention for Serving

Public Officers to Enter Management Support Series in the

Public Sector


Remodelling of the Company’s Organisational Structure

3.1.28. The Company’s original organisational structure was approved by the PSNC in 2007

which provided for an establishment of twenty (20) approved positions as illustrated

hereunder in Diagram 2.


21

Diagram 2

Organisational Structure as approved by PSNC in 2007

3.1.29. However, the Company engaged in a comprehensive review of its organisational

structure in May 2013, which established the need for a further strengthening of the

Company’s institutional capacity and business continuity as it continues to seek to achieve the

mandate of becoming the premium provider of HR services in the Public Sector. Accordingly,

at the 63rd Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company, approval was granted for a

redesigned organisational structure which provided for an establishment of forty (40)

positions. Diagram 3 below depicts the Current Organisational Chart of the Company.


22

Diagram 3

Redesigned organisational structure

3.1.30. The Committee was informed that a total of sixteen (16) contract positions have been

filled and that over the period January to March, 2014 a further seventeen (17) positions will

be filled which would bring the total number of employee to thirty-three (33) employees

although the capacity of the organisation is forty (40) positions.

Internal Positions

3.1.31. The Committee was also advised that during the period 2010-2013, the Company

experienced several changes to its Executive as well as a high rate of staff turnovers which

affected its recruitment activities. In 2011, ministerial directives were given to Ministries and

supporting agencies to re-advertise contract positions. As a result, during the period 2010 to

2013 the Company re-advertised four (4) executive vacancies, four (4) senior professional

vacancies, two (2) junior professional vacancies and two (2) administrative vacancies.


23

3.1.32. Furthermore, recruitment for three (3) out of the four (4) executive vacancies were

conducted in January 2013 by an external recruitment agency rather than by in-house staff.

The Committee noted that two (2) incumbents reapplied for re-advertised positions of Chief

Executive Officer and Vice-President, Human Capital Management respectively, both in

August, 2011. It was noteworthy that neither of the two incumbents who re-applied were

rehired by the Company. Moreover, as is depicted in Table 3 below, during the period 2010-

2013 no previous employees of the company were re-hired.

TABLE 3

Positions re-advertised during the period 2010-2013

Year Date Advertised

Positions Re-Advertised Incumbent(s) Re-applied

Incumbent(s) Re-Hired

2010 Aug-10 HR Manager (Senior Human Resource Professional) 0 0

2011 Jun. 11 VP Legal Admin Services and Corp Sec 0 0

Aug. 11 Chief Executive Officer 1 0

Aug. 11 VP Legal Services and Corp Secretary 0 0

Aug. 11 VP Human Capital Management 1 0

Oct. 11 Executive Assistant 0 0

Oct. 11 Receptionist/Office Attendant 0 0

2012 Jul. 12 Coordinator - Client Services 0 0

Jul. 12 Project Manager - Client Services 0 0

Aug. 12 Legal Advisor - Corporate Secretary 0 0

Oct. 12 Marketing and Communications Specialist 0 0

2013 Jan. 13 Receptionist/Office Attendant 0 0

Jan. 13 Chief Executive Officer 0 0

Jan. 13 VP Corporate Planning/Chief Executive Officer 0 0

Jan. 13 VP Human Capital Management 0 0

Mar. 13 Legal Advisor and Corporate Secretary 0 0

Sep. 13 Senior Human Resource Professional 0 0

Sep. 13 HR Coordinator 0 0

Sep. 13 Business Operations Assistant 1 0 0

Oct. 13 Manager HR & Administration 0 0

Nov. 13 Manager HR & Administration 0 0

Nov. 13 Senior Human Resource Professional 0 0

Totals 2 0


24

Recruitment Procedure

3.1.33. The Company’s recruitment procedure entails the following:

The Company recruits and selects its own employees.

The Board approves positions within the Company.

New positions requiring compensation ranges, the salary and terms proposal

are forwarded to the line Ministry and are advanced to the Ministerial

Committee for review and final approval.

PROCEDURES FOR CONTRACTING AND OUTSOURCING OF

SERVICES

Procurement Procedures

3.2.1. The Committee reviewed the Company’s Procurement Procedures for the acquisition

of goods, provision of services, undertaking works and disposal of unserviceable items which

were adopted and approved by the Board at its 64th Meeting held on July 2, 2013 in keeping

with the State Enterprises Performance Monitoring Manual, 2011. In particular, the

Procurement Procedures establishes certain limits in the value of contracts that can be awarded

by the company’s CEO, the Tenders Committee and the Board and were before the Minister

of Finance and the Economy, awaiting approval.

Authority

3.2.2. The Committee was informed that procurement is the responsibility of the Company’s

Board of Directors. However, the Board may delegate some of their responsibility to a

Tenders Committee and the Chief Executive Officer/Designate.

3.2.3. The Board, the Tenders Committee and the Chief Executive Officer/Designate shall

act in the Company’s name for and on behalf of the Company:

(a) In inviting, considering, accepting or rejecting offers for the supply of goods or

any service or for the undertaking of works in connection therewith, necessary for

carrying out the functions of GHRS in certain circumstances outlined hereunder:


25

(i) For contracts valued TT$5 Million* and over, the Tenders Committee

shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors for the award of

the contracts. The concurrence of the Ministers of Finance and Public

Administration must be requested before an award in made/or

communicated to the bidder;

(ii) For contracts valued TT$1 Million or more but less than TT$5 Million*,

the Tenders Committee shall make recommendations to the Board of

Directors for the award of the contracts;

(iii) For contracts valued TT$300,000 or more but less than TT$1 Million*, the

Tenders Committee shall make the award;

(iv) Contracts valued less than TT$300,000* shall be awarded by the Chief

Executive Officer.

NB: The Values quoted above are Value Added Tax (VAT) exclusive but these sums or values

mentioned may be amended by resolution of the Board and approved by the Minister where

applicable.

(b) In disposing of unserviceable goods belonging to the Company in

accordance with procedures established for this purpose.

Pre-Qualification Database

3.2.4. In 2012, the Company began establishing a pre-qualified database for HR Services

involving:

Assessors;

Mentors;

Development and Assessment services;

Training design and delivery services; and

Recruitment and Selection services:

Panel members;

Psychometric assessments; and

Reference checking.


26

3.2.5. Furthermore, given the revised Procurement Procedures (2013), the Company

embarked on improving and updating its prequalified database of suppliers. This was done

through the re-opening of the application process for the prequalification of suppliers for

human resource services, which has since remained opened and advertised on the Company’s

website.

3.2.6. In addition, the Company held a pre-qualification exercise from September 9th to 20th,

2013 for the provision of general goods and services under fifty-five (55) categories. The

invitation for prequalification exercise was advertised in a daily newspaper and on the

Company’s website. An aggregate of four hundred and thirty-four (434) pre-qualification

packages were sold and were being reviewed and filed by the Company and vendors are being

contacted accordingly. Once this shortlist of pre-qualified suppliers of goods and services is

instituted, the Company will utilize the pre-qualification database to perform routine

procurement.

Procurement Methods

3.2.7. The Committee was informed that according to the State Enterprises Performance

Manual, companies such as GHRS with a relatively small working capital, require tenders of

smaller ranges, can engage in the following types of standard procurement methods:

Tendering

Open Tendering

Selecting Tendering

Electronic Auction (E-Auction)

Electronic Procurement (E-Procurement)

Emergency Purchases

Exemptions/Merit Awards

3.2.8. Noteworthy was the fact that since the introduction of the new Board, the Company

has not engaged in any emergency tenders. Additionally, the Company had not held any public


27

open tenders since May, 2013 mainly because its projects were relatively small. However, the

Company anticipates a public open tender in February/March, 2014 for an IT consultancy to

review and redesign the e-recruitment online application system. On the other hand, during

the fiscal year 2012/2013, the Company had one (1) open tender, an e-tender (hosted by the

MoFE) for the purchase of Information Technology hardware and consumables such as

laptops. In that same year, there were eleven (11) selective tenders mainly for the procurement

of HR related services who were derived out of the Company’s pre-qualified database of HR

service providers.

Appeals against contract tendering decisions for the period 2010 to 2013

3.2.9. During the period 2010-2013, the Committee was informed that there were no appeals

recorded against contracts awarded or tender decisions taken by the Company.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE NEWLY INSTATED BOARD

Board of Directors

3.3.1. We were informed that the present BoD was appointed on October 14th, 2013. Cabinet

approval is required to increase Board membership. The Board has prepared a number of

programmes and packages to provide training when required by government agencies. In the

past no formal Deputy Chairman was appointed to the Board. Therefore, at each meeting of

the Board, a Chair was appointed whenever the Chairman was absent.

3.3.2. The first meeting of the new Board was held on October 25th, 2013. Some of the

Board’s main strategic moves involved:

- relocating the Company’s main office from Maraval to Chaguanas;

- proposing a new organisational structure; and

- developing a strategic plan by March 2014.


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Strategic Objectives

3.3.3. The previous Board operated with a 2013/2014 Business Plan dated October 10, 2013.

However, in recognising that a Business Plan was generally narrow in its scope, the Board

agreed to prepare a Strategic Plan to incorporate future polices that would drive the institution

to ensure that the development nature of the people of Trinidad and Tobago was captured.

3.3.4. Accordingly, the management was directed by the Board to prepare a three-year

Strategic Plan (2014/2017) which was expected to be completed by March, 2014.

3.3.5. The 2013/2014 Business Plan included proposals to:

improve and expand the current array of services;

build institutional strengthening/business continuity;

invest in training and development;

expand market share;

engage in prudent cost management;

promote a disciplined, results based culture;

build stronger brand and image in the market; and

practice good corporate social responsibility.

Executive Management Team

3.3.6. The Company had been operating without a substantive CEO since 2011. Rather, the

Company functioned with an acting CEO until May, 2013 when a substantive CEO was

recruited. The Committee was informed that during the period April to June, 2013, the

Company was fortified with a complete executive management team which was responsible

for the majority of progressive initiatives which have been undertaken in recent time.


29

MAJOR CHALLENGES OF THE COMPANY

3.4.1. The major challenges of the Company over the period 2010-2013 are outlined in

Table 4.

TABLE 4

Challenges experienced by the company for the period 2010 to 2013

Item 2010/ 2011

2011/ 2012

2012/ 2013

Current Status

Physical infrastructure of office inadequate

X X X On November 29, 2013 GHRS relocated from Maraval to Chaguanas.

Office space move from 5,000 sq. ft. (single floor) to 10,000 sq. ft. (three-storey) with adequate parking and office infrastructure.

Interview rooms moved from 1 to 5.

Physical infrastructure now adequate.

Limited policies and procedures

X

X

Policies developed from May 2013 to present:

Procurement Procedures for the Acquisition of Goods & Services

IT Security Manual (New - Approved)

IT End User Manual (New - Approved)

IT Operations Manual (New - Approved)

HR Policy (Approved)

Internal Audit Manual (New - Approved)

OSH Policy (New - draft)

Code of Conduct (Major review)

Pricing Policy (Approved)

Staff involved in recruitment not in possession of specialized training in psychometric testing

X

X

Currently 4 officers are trained in WAVE psychometric testing and 3 in 16PF. This is adequate for our needs.


30

Item 2010/ 2011

2011/ 2012

2012/ 2013

Current Status

Limited Associates/Consultants in HR Services

X X Currently there are 21 firms and 3 individual consultants in the prequalified database of HR Associates/consultants. The current prequalification exercise is also expected to yield additional consultants.

Insufficient staffing X X X In 2013 approved positions moved from the initial 20 positions to 40. To date 16 out of 40 positions have been filled. 17 more to be filled within the next 3 months. The full management team is on board.

Business continuity X X X Approved positions in IT Department moved from 1 to 3.

Approved positions in Accounts moved from 1 to 3.

Approved positions in Client Services moved from 9 to 18 to strengthen the client services and revenue generating arm of the business.

Approved positions in internal HR moved from 1 to 2.

Approved positions in the Legal Department moved from 1 to 3.

Hiring of an Internal Auditor to review and monitor compliance with approved policies, procedures and practices.

IT issues identified in the Systems Audit Report (2007-2009) dated January 2012 IT Infrastructure assessed on:

- Business objectives - Configuration - Availability - Security - Integrity - Maintainability

X X X

Critical risk - To date all 10 “Critical” IT issues have been addressed via the web based hosted migration and firewall configuration. Consequently the in house exchange service has been removed.

Medium risk - 4 out of the 20 addressed.

Low risk - 6 out of 19 addressed. Continued efforts are being made to address.


31

Outstanding Annual Administrative Reports

3.4.2. At the time of the public hearing, the Company has not submitted its Administrative

Reports for the periods 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 in accordance with

Section 66D of the Constitution. Parliament’s records indicated that the latest report

submitted was for the period 2008/2009 Report and was laid in the Senate and House of

Representatives on March 22nd and 25th, 2011 respectively.

3.4.3. The Committee noted that the staffing issues at the Company impacted the

preparation of the annual reports. The Company submitted that its 2010/2011 Administrative

Report was prepared and was before the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Subsequent to the hearing, the 2010/2011 GHRS Administrative Report was laid in the Senate

and House of Representatives on May 13th and 16th, 2014 respectively.

3.4.4. Additionally, as at January 2014, the company’s 2011/2012 Administrative Report was

before the Cabinet and the first draft of its 2012/2013 Administrative Report was expected to

be completed by the end of January 2014.

Weak HR Information Systems

3.4.5. The MPA admitted that its existing HR Information Systems was inadequate and that

it did not maintain up-to-date statistics pertaining to Human resources with Government

Ministries and agencies. Given the circumstances, the MPA would usually write to the relevant

Ministry to source human resource data. However, the Committee was informed that the G2D

initiative would seek to address these issues via human resource management modernization.


32

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY

3.4.6. The major achievements of the Company are outlined hereunder in Table 5.

TABLE 5

Major achievements

MAJOR ACHIEVMENT

2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013

Recruitment and Selection

Various aspects of recruitment and selection were conducted for over 300 contract positions.

Various aspects of recruitment and selection were conducted for 440 contract positions; an increase of 47% when compared to the previous year.

This involved a total of 641 contracts which included recommendations for the filling of 292 vacancies, advertising for 322 vacancies, sifting for 24 vacancies and database searches for 3 vacancies.

Relocation

N/A N/A The Company was relocated from Maraval to Chaguanas on November 29th, 2013.

GHRS e-recruiting platform

N/A N/A The Company uses a modern e-recruitment system to receive and process job applications. This system not only allows job seekers to apply online; it also enables applicants to track their applications through the recruitment process.

GHRS e-recruitment database

As at September 2011 the e-recruitment database contained 23,000 applications.

As at September 2012, the e-recruitment database contained 32,000 applications; an increase of 43%.

GHRS had 39,098 applications/CVs on its e-recruitment database as at September 2013 (an increase of 19% compared to Sep 2012).


33

MAJOR ACHIEVMENT

2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013

Career Portal Total visits to the Career Portal ranged from 6,000-10,000 per month.

Total visits to the web based Career Portal ranged from 10,000-17,000 per month.

The number of visitors to the GHRS web based Career portal ranged from 7,000-11,000 per month during the period October 2012-September 2013.

International Profiling

N/A N/A GHRS is collaborating with the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs (MFA) to target nationals and non-nationals via selected T&T Consulates. GHRS is also working with the MFA to place its e-banner on T&T Consulate’s websites.

Proposal to Ministerial Committee

N/A N/A A proposal for the review of terms is currently before the Ministerial Committee for monitoring remuneration arrangements.

Audited Financial Statements

Prepared and submitted Audited Financial Statements for 2010/2011.

Prepared and submitted Audited Financial Statements for 2011/2012.

The first draft of the Audited Financial Statements is expected for the external auditors in January 2014.

Annual Report Prepared and submitted Annual Report for 2010/2011.

Prepared and submitted Annual Report for 2011/2012.

The first draft of the Annual Report 2012/2013 is expected in January 2014.

Establishment of a Pricing Policy

3.4.7. At its 64th Board Meeting held on July 02, 2013, the board accepted a recommendation

to conduct a pricing review. Subsequent to this, the Board agreed that the management should

undertake a comprehensive review of the Interim Pricing Policy dated July 2012. As a


34

consequence, a Comparative and Cost plus Analysis Paper on the pricing schedules of five (5) major

private recruitment firms pertaining to prices for recruitment and selection services relative

to GHRS was presented to the Board on August 13 2013.

3.4.8. The paper revealed that:

i. the Company was by far the most competitively priced in the area of

recruitment and selection services, compared to the top five (5) recruiting firms

in the private sector. For example, the cost of an executive level recruitment

programme offered by one of the major private recruitment firms was three

(3) times the cost charged by the GHRS;

ii. the recruitment cost of Ministries are below the Company’s rates;

iii. in comparison to Ministries, GHRS offers a wider range of services, such as

Psychometric Testing, Competency Based Testing and Work Samples;

iv. the recruitment process of most Ministries is long and tedious which results in

many vacant positions remaining unfilled; a number of Ministries, particularly

new Ministries do not possess the capability and internal capacity to facilitate

internal recruiting.

3.4.9. Given these circumstances, the Pricing Policy was reviewed and approved during the

66th Meeting of the Board. The approved Pricing Policy is appended as Appendix IV for ease

of reference.

Internal Audit Improvements

3.4.10. In April 2013, the Board sanctioned the recruitment of an Internal Auditor. Prior to

that time, the Company never had an Internal Auditor. The Internal Auditor reports directly

to the Board and administratively to the CEO.

3.4.11. The Chief Executive Officer in consultation with Audit Committee of the Board has

developed an Audit Work Plan, an Audit Charter and a Work Plan to treat with petty cash,

purchasing, procurement, HR procedures and all internal systems were prepared and

instituted.


35

3.4.12. Additionally, a number of audits were conducted on the Company’s processes and

systems which have been submitted to the Audit Committee of the Board for examination

and considerations. The Audit Committee’s remarks will subsequently be forwarded to the

BoD for deliberation and approval.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GHRS AND OTHER

STAKEHOLDERS

3.5.1. Recruitment activities in respect of contract positions at various entities for fiscal years

2010/2011 to 2012/2013 are outlined in Table 6.

TABLE 6

Recruitment services provided to public entities for the period 2010 to 2013

Year

&

Vacancies

Filled

Ministries State

Enterprises

Municipal

Corporations

Regional

Health

Authorities

Commissions

2012/2013 13 3 - - 1

2011/2012 10 13 - 1 2

2010/2011 12 9 - - 2

Strategic HRM Council

3.5.2. The Committee was informed that the Minister of Public Administration established

a Strategic HRM Council. This Council includes the Service Commissions, the Deputy

Chairman of Services Commission and the Director of Personnel Administration (DPA). The

PSA, Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teacher’s Association (TTUTA) and the National

Productivity Council (NPC) are also represented on the Council.

Relationship with Service Commissions

3.5.3. With respect to GHRS assisting the Services Commissions with the recruitment of

workers, the Committee was reminded that as constitutionally independent bodies, the


36

Commissions cannot be mandate to utilise the services of GHRS. However, GHRS has the

option of responding to invitations for Proposals and bids issued by the Service Commissions.

Direct Marketing Plan 3.5.4. Before the development of its Direct Marketing Plan, the Company adopted a reactive

or passive marketing strategy whereby it would wait to be approached by a state agency prior

to undertaking a recruitment assignment. However, the Company has since recognised it

needs to be more proactive and to capitalise on its competitive advantages of price

competitiveness and specialised recruitment and selection techniques. To this end, a Direct

Marketing Plan was established and was expected to be executed in January 2014 through

the Client Services Team.

3.5.5. The Plan seeks to provide structured information on the services offered by the

Company through direct interface and upselling of services to both existing clients and non-

client Ministries. This strategy will enable the Company to proactively seek opportunities to

provide recruitment and other services to an increased number of clients.

3.5.6. The Plan is also intended to increase the awareness of the GHRS brand and the

Company’s revenue and market share. In executing the plan, clients will be engaged via

telephone calls, visits and regular follow-up. Also, packages with impactful information on the

Company and promotional items will be provided via the support of the Marketing and

Communication Specialist for the client visits. The Marketing and Communication Specialist

will also provide support in collating and analysing the feedback received from clients.

OTHER EVIDENCE RECEIVED

International Marketing

3.6.1. The Committee was informed that the mandate of the Company does not only entail

recruiting but:

marketing internationally in order to attract and recruit nationals who are overseas

and are willing to return to work locally; and


37

to recruit external persons who are willing to be employed and convey their

expertise.

3.6.2. However, the Company acknowledged that the cost of international marketing was

prohibitive. Nevertheless, it established that international marketing was necessary. As a result,

the Company participated in a number of initiatives such as collaborating with the British High

Commission and utilizing the Commission’s to target nationals overseas in London to inform

them of local job vacancies and about the services of the Company.

3.6.3. As well, given that the commonwealth comprises 55 member countries, the Company

had plans to advertise on the Commonwealth Governance website using an e-banner. During

the public hearing the Committee was advised that the e-banner was being finalised.

3.6.4. Additionally, confirmation was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)

that the role of the Company as it pertains to recruiting foreign nationals as well as locals

overseas has been transmitted via general circular to all overseas missions.

Integration between Contract and Permanent Employees in the Public Sector 3.6.5. The Permanent Secretary, MPA informed the Committee that as far as possible each

section or unit in the MPA is either filled with contract employees or with officers on the

permanent establishment. Units such as HR or Finance and Accounts are mostly populated

by officers on the permanent establishment and as a result, supervision is somewhat easier in

such instances.

3.6.6. However, the Ministry did concede that in other public entities there are issues with

supervision, compensation, recognition amongst the differently employed officers as a result

of the integration of permanent and contract officers.

3.6.7. Therefore, there is need for the legislative and regulatory framework regarding the

different categories/classes of workers in the Public Sector. Furthermore, there is also a need

for certain positions throughout the public service to be re-evaluated and re-classified for the


38

purpose of introducing the necessary adjustments to the job responsibilities and remuneration

associated with such positions.

4. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1. Your Committee considered the oral and written evidence received against the

established objectives of the inquiry and submits the following findings and

recommendations:

OBJECTIVE 1

To assess the Company’s input and performance with regards to the fulfillment

of the following strategic goals and objectives:

a. the filling of vacancies throughout the public service and public enterprises;




e. the model of the organizational structure.

Filling of vacancies

4.1.1. In an attempt to determine whether the company had a substantive impact on the

pace at which employees are recruited in the public service, we examine the recruitment

statistics was somewhat surprised to learn that although there were 6,000 bodies in 10,000

contract positions in 2010, GHRS provided recruitment services for only 300 contract

positions during the period 2010/2011. In addition, the company provide recruitment services

for a relatively modest 1,381 contract officers during the period 2010-2013, although the

number of contract vacancies was 5,863 as at December 31, 2013.

4.1.2. The Committee also noted that during the period 2010 to 2013 high staff turnover

impacted the company’s ability to offer recruitment services. Indeed, during this period,

twenty-two internal positions were re-advertised by ministerial mandate. It was informative

that only two (2) incumbents re-applied for positions and no incumbent was re-hired (during

the period 2007 to 2012 GHRS had an average of eighteen (18) staff out of twenty (20)

approved positions).


39

4.1.3. Notwithstanding the fact that the Company did experience certain challenges during

its initial years, we are of the view that the modest amount of Human Resource services “sold”

by the company during the stated period, raises questions about the impact of the company

on improving the Human Resource Management function within the public sector and

whether the Company should continue to be in existence.

4.1.4. On the other hand, the Committee was encouraged that the Company was engaged in

strengthening its internal capacity, particularly through expanding its cadre of workers from

approximately 18 to 40 employees. The move to review the company’s compensation regime,

which has not been re-examined since 2007 was endorsed by the Committee and was viewed

as an important strategy for reducing staff turnover. Moreover, the Committee is of the view

that the Company’s plan to offer three-year contracts instead of one-year contracts as a

standard term of employment should be strongly considered.

Application of HR best practices

4.1.5. It was evident that the company has incorporated a number of “best practices” in the

delivery of its services such as 16PF and WAVE psychometric testing, multi-phased and

competency based assessments. However, the Committee also noted that many government

ministries/agencies do not utilise these “new age” or modern methods for selecting and assessing

candidates for employment. As a consequence, the demand for the expert/specialised services

offered by GHRS may not be sufficient at this time to encourage the company to further

expand the specialised services it offers.

4.1.6. Thus, the company is encouraged to continue to implement its Direct Marketing Plan

with a view to obtaining the necessary ‘buy-in’ from entities in the public sector as it pertains

to it specialised services.

Professional Development Programme

4.1.7. The Committee noted that although there are approximately three hundred returning

scholars who conclude their studies each year, the PDP attracted only fifty-two persons in

2013. However, we were also cognisant that returning scholars are not mandated to participate


40

in the PDP, in particular those scholars in certain professions such as medicine may decline

because of the time span required for the training.

4.1.8. It was evident that the MPA has experienced some challenges in attracting returning

scholars to participate in the programme since it was noted that the Ministry did not have the

full complement of participants in its 2013 programme due to lack of interest. However, we

noted the intent of the MPA to attempt to increase the number of participations in the next

two cohorts during 2014.

4.1.9. We were disappointed to learn that the Company did not have an established feedback

mechanism in place to gauge the effectiveness of the programme from the perspective of is

participants. Continuous feedback from scholars would assist in improving the level of interest

of scholars as they experienced the various elements of the programme.

Organizational structure

4.1.10. We were encouraged by the fact that the company was currently engaged in

redesigning its structure and was pleased to learn that Cabinet has approved 40 positions for

the company. However, we noted that of these 40 positions, only 16 were filled. No

timeframes for the filling of the remaining positions were given.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. We recommend that the Company conduct a survey for the purpose of gauging the

interest of public sector entities in utilizing specialized recruitment and selection

techniques. This would be a follow up activity further to the comprehensive review

of the Interim Pricing Policy and the Comparative and Cost plus Analysis Paper

which were conducted previously. The results of this survey must be used to

determine the feasibility/efficacy of some of the ‘products’/services that are

presently being offered by the company and whether changes in the type of services

being offered need to be instituted. We further recommend that an education

program be considered explaining the benefits of using specialized recruitment

and selection techniques for hiring staff.


41

B. Should the Ministerial Committee approve the recommended adjustments in the

remuneration regime of the company, it should act speedily to apply these

adjustments, since it is possible that these adjustments may have the ability to

enhance staff morale and the security of tenure of employees who are currently

working with one year contracts.

C. We recommend that the Company explore other types of psychometric testing and

other scientifically based assessment techniques which can be offered to clients.

This may improve its marketability and increase the demand for the company’s

services. However the assumption here is that the company would attain the level

of ‘product buy in” that would be required to make product expansion feasible.

D. With respect to the Professional Development Programme, we recommend that

the Company institute a more holistic feedback system with a view to effectively

gauging the experiences and perceptions of scholars as they participate in the

programme. The system should also seek to track the endeavors undertaken by the

scholars one (1) year after exiting the programme in an attempt to determine what

impact the programme had on their career/employment prospects.

E. We recommend that the company ensure that vacancies in its new 40 Member

establishment are filled expeditiously. Also, a human resource audits should be

conducted within the next two years to determine the adequacy of the company’s

staff complement.

OBJECTIVE 2

To acquire insight into the procedures that are applied in the contracting and or

outsourcing of services.

4.2.1. The Committee was pleased to be informed that the Company’s Procurement

Procedures for the acquisition of goods, provision of services, undertaking works and disposal

of unserviceable procedures were revised and now conformed with the State Enterprises

Performance Monitoring Manual.


42

4.2.2. Further, the Committee endorses the Company’s initiative to review and update its

prequalified database of suppliers. This updated list is critical to the efficient use of selective

tendering by the Company, since tenders are invited from the approved list of vendors.

Moreover, the Committee was satisfied that there were no appeals against contract tendering

decisions during the period 2010 to 2013.

OBJECTIVE 3

To inquire into the strategic objectives of the newly appointed Board at the

GHRS.

4.3.1. With respect to certain allegations of impropriety/misconduct involving a former

Chairman of the Board, we were quite concerned to learn that as at January 2014, the Ministry

of Finance, who was mandated to review the allegations, had not provided the Ministry of

Public Administration with feedback on this matter.

4.3.2. Notwithstanding, we were encouraged to learn that after a period of instability

generated by allegations of indiscipline at the level of the Board of Directors that the “new

board” appointed in October, 2013 has set in motion, a number of plans and initiatives, which

we believe have the potential of enhancing the 3Es of the company.

4.3.3. Furthermore, we noted that the Cabinet approved the expansion in the size of the

Board of Directors from 7 to 11 and we consider this a laudable change, in that one would

expect that an additional four (4) Directors ought to translate into a larger pool of technical

expertise and experience to guide the strategic objective of the company. We also expect that

this expanded Board would be capable of exercising effective oversight of the

operational/implementation arm of the company.

4.3.4. We were also pleased to learn that the Board has directed the management to prepare

a three-year Strategic Plan 2014/2017 which was expected to be completed by March 2014.


43

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Ministry of Public Administration seek a status update

from the Ministry of Finance and the Economy on its investigation into the

allegations made against the former Chairman of the Board. This update must

be incorporated into the Ministry’s response to this report.

II. We recommend that the company utilize an Implementation Road Map in the

execution of its Strategic Plan. Periodic reviews should also be conducted to

ensure that (as far as possible) the company’s activities remain aligned with its

Strategic Plan.

III. We recommend that the necessary sub-committees of the Board of Director be

established to further enhance the Board’s ability to oversee the execution of the

company’s strategic objectives. We suggest that a Marketing and Public

Relations Committee be established to inter alia, oversee the implementation of

the Company’s Direct Market Plan and to review this plan from time to time and

recommend possible adjustments to same.

OBJECTIVE 4

To understand the major challenges faced by the GHRS and to gain an

appreciation of the achievements of the Company for the period 2010-2013.

Achievements

4.4.1. With respect to the challenges outlined by the company during the course of the

inquiry, we were satisfied that in several instances, the Company has already implemented

measures to remedy the issue or the shortcoming. We were particularly pleased with the

following initiatives:

i. the successful relocation of the company’s office from Maraval to Chaguanas in

November, 2013;

ii. training of staff in WAVE and 16PF psychometric testing;

iii. updating of its prequalified database of suppliers/experts;

iv. recruiting of more staff including an Internal Auditor.


44

Challenges

4.4.2. We noted that the Company’s failure to submit its Annual Administrative Reports in

accordance with the stipulations of Section 66A of the Constitution was attributed to the staff

shortages. However, we were encouraged to learn that the 2010/2011 Administrative Report

was laid subsequent to the public hearing held in January 2014 and that the first draft of the

2012/2013 Administrative Report would be completed by the end January 2014.

4.4.3. Nevertheless, the Committee looks forward to receiving all outstanding

Administrative Reports for the fiscal years 2009/2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 by

December 31st, 2014.

4.4.4. Another significant challenge that was quite evident from the evidence received was

the low market penetration rate achieved by the company. The statistics received regarding

the amount of positions the company participated in filling was quite instructive. It was the

view of some members of the Committee, that the company’s involvement in the recruitment

of 1,381 candidates during the period 2010 to 2013 (Average of 460 positions per year) was

modest and was an indication that the demand for the services of the company was inadequate

or unfeasible.

4.4.5. Nevertheless, it was acknowledged that the relatively low utilization of the company’s

services by Ministries and other government entities may be due to the costs associated with

the company’s services. The Company’s market survey did reveal that the cost of the

company’s recruitment services was above the average cost of recruitment incurred by

government Ministries. It also appeared that there was a lack of sufficient acceptance or “buy

in” of the specialized methods/techniques used by the company to recruit and select

candidates. We believe that the ability of the company to expand its clientele, is a function of

the company’s ability to effectively market its services and convince Human Resource

professionals and other leaders in the public sector, that its methods and techniques are more

credible and potentially more beneficial than methods which are currently used.


45

4.4.6. Although earning a profit is not one of the mandates of the company, we noted that

one of its existing challenges was to generate sufficient income to cover its operational costs.

We trust that through the implementation of its Direct Marketing Plan and the application of

strident cost management strategies, the company would realize this goal.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. From the evidence received we determined that in order for GHRS to have a greater

presence in the public sector, other human resource stakeholders must accept and

understand the company’s mandate. Further, there must be information gathering

and sharing amongst the various public agencies involved in human resource

management as it pertains to vacancies. In particular, we recommend that a

Standing Register of Vacancies be developed and maintained for the purpose of

continuously monitoring and determining the amount of vacancies that exist in the

public service.

II. To complement this Human Resource Management Tool, we recommend that a

Memorandum of Understanding be established between the Ministry of Public

Administration, the Service Commissions, GHRS and other entities involved in

HRM in the public service for the purpose of clearly outlining the role to be played

by each of the relevant HR agencies. This Register and MoU may be

commissioned by the Strategic Human Resource Management Council.

III. We recommend that the Board, through the proposed (sub-committee) on

Marketing and Public Relations, monitor the implementation of the Direct

Marketing Plan with a view to ensuring that the company achieve its goals of an

expanded clientele and the generation of sufficient income to cover operational

costs.

OBJECTIVE 5

The nature of the Company’s association/ relations with the various Service

Commissions, State Enterprises, Municipal Corporations, Regional Health

Authorities vis-à-vis the recruitment of staff to service these bodies.


46

4.5.1. It was apparent that the company’s Direct Marketing Plan represented the company’s

main strategy for better sensitizing and engaging potential clients about its services. We were

very concerned by the relatively meager amount of vacancies the company assisted in filling

within Regional Health Authorities, Municipal Corporations and State Enterprises. The

statistic received for the period 2010-2013 were not encouraging.

4.5.2. Moreover, as was alluded to previously, we believe that through the effective

marketing of its “specialised” services, the company ought to be able to generate a greater

interest among the various public sector entities, as it relates to the services it offers. Good

product sells! Therefore emphasis must be placed on the speciality or niche techniques that

are utilised by the company and the proven benefits and results of applying these techniques

in the recruitment, selection and development of employees.

4.5.3. However, with respect to recruitment at the international level, we did appreciate some

of the strategies the company has been implementing to realise a greater level of success in

this area of its services. In particular, we commend the company’s efforts to collaborate with

the Diplomatic Community to recruit locals residing abroad, as well as foreigners, to fill

vacancies.

4.5.4. As it relates to formal interaction with stakeholders, we did identify the Strategic

Human Resource Management Council, as a body the GHRS ought to be directly involved in.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We suggest that clients who hire the company to engage in international or

regional recruitment are encouraged to take into consideration existing market

rates and compensation as a means of acquiring a greater response rate during

recruitment exercises.

II. We recommend that the Company establish client follow-up procedures and

mechanisms for the purpose of gauging the reliability, credibility and validity of


47

the methodologies and techniques that were utilized. The feedback acquired must

be used as a basis for reviewing and modifying the company’s range of services.

III. Furthermore, we recommend that in implementing its Direct Marketing Plan that

GHRS place priority on clients who seldom or have never accessed the Company’s

services such as Municipal Corporations and RHAs.

IV. We recommend that the Chairman and or CEO of GHRS be granted a “seat” on

the Strategic HRM Council. We strongly believe that the company’s presence on

this Council will assist with lifting its status as an integral player in Human

Resource Management in the public sector and would also provide the company

with a direct channel for acquiring essential information regarding the state of

human resources in the public sector.

Your Committee respectfully submits this Report for the consideration of the Parliament.

Sgd. Sgd. Dr. Victor Wheeler Mr. David Small Chairman Vice-Chairman Sgd. Sgd. Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP Mr. Clifton De Coteau, MP Member Member Sgd. Sgd. Mr. Kevin Ramnarine Dr. Lincoln Douglas, MP Member Member Sgd. Sgd. Ms. Alicia Hospedales, MP Mr. Collin Partap, MP Member Member


48

Sgd. Sgd. Mr. Fitzgerald Jeffrey, MP Dr. Lester Henry Member Member Sgd. Sgd. Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie Ms. Raziah Ahmed Member Member January 16, 2015


49

APPENDICES


50

APPENDIX I

Entities falling under the purview

of the Committee


51


52

List of Ministries, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises that fall under the purview of

this Committee

1. Local Government

STATUTORY BOARDS AND OTHER BODIES:

National Commission for Self-Help Limited

New City Mall

East Side Plaza

WHOLLY OWNED ENTERPRISES:

Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited

National Maintenance Training and Security Company Limited (MTS)

2. National Diversity and Social Integration


Archaeological Committee

National Museum and Art Gallery (Royal Victoria Institute)

3. National Security


Defence Force Commissions Board

Defence Council

Firearms Appeal Board

Strategic Services Agency

Youth Training Centre Board of Management

National Operations Centre

4. Office of the Prime Minister


Sport and Culture Board of Management

5. People and Social Development


Social Welfare District Boards

Trinidad and Tobago Association in Aid of the Deaf

Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association

6. Planning and Sustainable Development


Advisory Town Planning Panel

Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI)

Chaguaramas Development Authority

Council for Innovation and Competitiveness

Economic Development Board

National Population Council


53

STATE ENTERPRISES:

East Port-of-Spain Development Company Limited

7. Public Administration

WHOLLY-OWNED ENTERPRISES:

Government Human Resources Services Limited (GHRS)

8. Public Utilities


Regulated Industries Commission (RIC)


The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC)

The Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPOST)

MAJORITY-OWNED ENTERPRISES:

Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (TSTT)

9. Science and Technology


National Information, Communication, Technology Company Limited (iGovTT)

National Institute of Higher Education (Research, Science and Technology)

Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT)

10. Sport


National Stadia Board of Management

Regional Complexes

Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control


Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited

11. Tertiary Education and Skills Training


Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT)

Board of Industrial Training

College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts (COSTATT)

Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (ECIAF)

John S. Donaldson Technical Institute

National Energy Skills Centre (NESC)

National Training Agency

San Fernando Technical Institute


54

Teachers Training Colleges

Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute

University of Trinidad and Tobago

University of the West Indies

- Open Campus

MAJORITY-OWNED ENTERPPRISES:

Metal Industries Company Limited (MIC)

- Government Vocational Centre


Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme Limited (YTEPP)

12. Tobago Development

STATUTORY BOARDS AND OTHER BODIES

Tobago Regional Health Authority

13. Tourism

STATUTORY BOARDS AND OTHER BODIES;

Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago


Tourism Development Company Limited

National Academy of the Performing Arts Hotel

14. Trade, Industry, Investments and Communications


Betting Levy Board (BLB)

Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS)

Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority (TTRA)

Weights and Measures

Prices Council

Board of Film Censors


Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited (e-Teck)

Export-Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (EXIMBANK)

Trinidad and Tobago Free Zones Company Limited (TTFZ)

Caribbean New Media Group Limited (CNMG)

Government Information Services Limited (GISL)

National Broadcasting Network (NBN)


Business Development Company (BDC)


55

Point Lisas Industrial Estate

Trinidad and Tobago Entertainment Company Limited (TTent)

Trinidad and Tobago Film Company

Creative TT Limited

INDIRECTLY-OWNED ENTERPRISES:

Caribbean Leasing Company Limited (CLCL) Subsidiary of BDC

National Flour Mills (NFM)

Premier Quality Services Limited (PQSL) Subsidiary of TTBS

15. Transport


Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago

Air Transport Licensing Authority

Pilotage Authority

Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago

Public Transport Services Corporation (PTSC)

Transport Board


The Vehicle Maintenance Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited


National Helicopter Company Limited

Point Lisas Port Development Corporation Limited (PLIPDECO)

MINORITY-OWNED ENTERPRISES:

LIAT (1974) Limited

16. Works and Infrastructure


National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NIDCO)

National Maintenance Training and Security Company (MTS)

Community Improvement Services Limited (CISL)

Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited (PSAEL)

Rural Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (RuDeCOTT)


56

APPENDIX II MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS


57

PRESENT

Committee Members

Dr. Victor Wheeler Chairman

Mr. David Small Vice-Chairman

Mr. Fitzgerald Jeffrey, MP Member

Ms. Alicia Hospedales, MP Member

Mrs. Raziah Ahmed Member

Dr. Lester Henry Member

Secretariat

Mr. Julien Ogilvie Secretary

Mr. Indar Sieunarine Procedural Clerk Assistant

Ms. Katharina Gokool Graduate Research Assistant

ABSENT

Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie Member (excused)

Mr. Clifton De Coteau, MP Member (excused)

Dr. Lincoln Douglas, MP Member

Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, MP Member

Mr. Kevin Ramnarine Member

Mr. Collin Partap, MP Member

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES

COMPANY LIMITED


Mr. Wayne Munro Chairman, Board of Directors

Mr. Geoffrey Lewis Vice-President, Corporate

Planning

Ms. Khari Murray Vice-President, Human Capital

Management


MINUTES OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH MEETING OF THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE OF

PARLIAMENT APPOINTED TO INQUIRE INTO AND REPORT ON GOVERNMENT

MINISTRIES (GROUP 2), STATUTORY AUTHORITIES AND STATE ENTERPRISES FALLING

UNDER THOSE MINISTRIES, HELD IN THE ARNOLD THOMASOS ROOM (EAST), LEVEL 6 AND

THE J. HAMILTON MAURICE ROOM, MEZZANINE FLOOR, OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENT,

TOWER D, PORT OF SPAIN INTERNATIONAL WATERFRONT CENTRE, #1A WRIGHTSON ROAD,

PORT OF SPAIN ON

FRIDAY JANUARY 10, 2014 AT 9:35 A.M.


58

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MINISTRY OF THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION



Ms. Abigail Bynoe Manager, Policy, Strategy and

Monitoring Unit



INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m.

1.2 The Chairman indicated that Dr. Tewarie and Mr. De Coteau had requested to be excused

from the meeting.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

27th Meeting held on December 13th, 2013

2.1 The Committee considered the Minutes of the 27th Meeting held on December 13, 2013.

2.2 The following corrections were proposed:

a. Item 3.3 (ii) (c), page 3; delete the words “The Ministry’s audit” and replace them with

the words “An audit conducted by the Ministry”;

b. Item 3.3 (ii) (f), page 4; delete the word “theSE” and replace it with the word “these”;

c. Item 3.3 (v) (a), page 5; delete the word “Bases” and replace it with the word “Based”;

d. Item 3.3 (xvii) (a), page 8; insert the word “time” after the words “time to”; and

e. Item 3.3 (xviii) (c), page 8; delete the word “convened” and replace it with the word

“convene”.

2.3 The motion for the confirmation of the Minutes, as amended, was moved by Mr. Small and

seconded by Ms. Hospedales.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

3.1 As per item 4.2, Members were informed that a request for additional information was

communicated to the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) via a letter dated

January 07, 2014. Additionally, correspondence was received from the Permanent Secretary of the

Ministry of the People and Social Development dated December 20, 2013 that outlined some of the

Ministry’s plans for the Association.

3.2 As per item 6.2, it was confirmed that additional information requested from the National

Commission for Self-Help Limited was received on January 07, 2014 and would be disseminated

during the course of the meeting.

3.3 As per item 7.1, the Chairman advised that pre-hearing information was received from the

Government Human Resources Services Company Limited (GHRS) and was circulated in soft copy


59

on December 31, 2013 as well as in hard copy on January 02, 2014. Members confirmed receipt of

the submission.

3.4 As per item 8.2, on the direction of the Committee, the Secretary by letter dated December

17, 2013, wrote to Mr. Kalam Mohamed informing him of the Committee’s determination

regarding his allegations.

CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT INQUIRY PROPOSAL ON THE PORT AUTHORITY OF

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

4.1 The Chairman indicated that on January 02, 2014, a Draft Inquiry Proposal on the Port

Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) was circulated for the consideration of members via

email.

4.2 The Committee reviewed and approved the Draft subject to the following amendment:

Objective 2, new question (xi): “What is the status of what appears to be derelict

or seized vessels on the waterways?”

4.3 The Committee agreed that its next meeting would be held on February 14, 2014 and at

that meeting, it will convene a public hearing with PATT.

PRE-HEARING DISCUSSIONS RE: INQUIRY INTO THE GOVERNMENT HUMAN

RESOURCES SERVICES COMPANY LIMITED

5.1 Brief discussions ensued on some of the main issues to be raised during the inquiry with

officials from GHRS.

5.2 Members confirmed receipt of an Issues Paper prepared by the Secretariat based on the

submission received from the GHRS. It was agreed that the first rounds of questions would

commence with questions from Mr. Small followed by Ms. Hospedales.

5.3 The Chairman informed members that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public

Administration was granted permission to conduct a five (5) minute PowerPoint presentation at the

beginning of the hearing.

5.4 The meeting was suspended at 9:55 a.m.

[Members exited the Arnold Thomasos Room (East) and proceeded to the

J. Hamilton Maurice Room]

PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES

COMPANY LIMITED

6.1 The Chairman reconvened the meeting in the J. Hamilton Maurice Room at 10:05 a.m.

6.2 The Chairman welcomed officials from the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) and

GHRS. Introductions were exchanged.


60

6.3 Detailed below are the issues raised and the responses which emanated from the

discussions with representatives of the MPA and GHRS:

i. Opening Statements

a. Permanent Secretary, MPA

The Ministry indicated that the Gold to Diamond Programme (G to D) was

launched in 2012 and informs the vision for public service transformation for a ten

(10) year period (up to 2022). The Diamond Model is built on the four (4) pillars

of people, governance, infrastructure and service delivery. This Model is further

deconstructed based on the three C’s of capability, culture and connectedness.

Emphasis will be placed on the renewal and modernization of the public service

within a strong policy environment as well as institutions with the requisite staff

and appropriate infrastructure.

The shift from a pyramid to diamond-shaped structure for the public service will

be characterized by an executive at the top level, a broader middle management

level (with technical and professional streams) which would allow for increased

delegation from the top and a narrower bottom level. The rationalization of lower

level staff will entail the integration of the clerical and secretarial classes. The

integration of the bottom level was commenced by the MPA with the creation of a

new stream called Management Support Officers. The Ministry is currently in

negotiations with the Public Services Association (PSA) and the Chief Personnel

Officer regarding this new position.

Unlike other central agencies such as the Service Commissions Department and

the Personnel Department, the role of GHRS will be to assist in building human

resource capacity and the recruitment of contract employees.

GHRS has moved to multi-phased assessment techniques to improve the individual

vs Job fit within public organization. Research data has suggested that the multi-

phased assessment approach to recruitment has a person-job fit accuracy of sixty-

eight percent (68%) during employee recruitment, whereas interviews have a

fifteen percent (15%) accuracy rate, followed by References with a twelve percent

(12%) accuracy rate.

b. Chief Executive Officer, GHRS

GHRS was established in 2006 further to a decision of Cabinet and was

incorporated under the Companies Act, Chap. 81:01 on October 26, 2006. The

Company is governed by by-laws as well as the State Enterprise Performance

Manual of the Ministry of Finance and the Economy.

The present executive management team was appointed in May 2013. The

company is presently seeking to increase the number of employees at GHRS from

seventeen (17) to thirty three (33), in order to fulfill its mandate of providing

human resource support to the public service.

c. Chairman of the Board, GHRS

The current board received its instruments of appointment on October 14, 2013

and held its first meeting on October 25, 2013. The board undertook a review of

the company’s organizational structures to assess its capacity to deliver on its


61

mandate. Further to this review, a decision was taken to double the number of staff.

The board also reviewed the company’s strategic plan and it was anticipated that

“a clear” strategic plan will be completed by March 2014.

ii. Filling of Vacancies in the public sector

a. GHRS was involved in filling 1,381 contract positions within the public service

from 2010 to 2013. These vacancies were filled at the request of Ministries.

b. The service commissions are constitutionally independent; therefore these bodies

cannot be directed to utilize the services of GHRS. However, if a request for

tenders is placed for a particular service, GHRS can bid. Both the Director of

Personnel Administration and the Deputy Chairmen of the Service Commissions

sit on the Strategic HRM Council established by the MPA that brings together all

parties with HRM functions.

c. Vacancies exist because many positions are antiquated and need to be modernized

and reclassified. Although there is an ongoing job evaluation exercise on existing

positions, an evaluation of jobs that were recently streamlined is also necessary.

iii. Human Resources at GHRS

a. During the period 2007 and 2012 the highest number of employees at the Company

was eighteen (18). However, in 2013, the executive management team determined

that the internal staff capacity of the company had to be improved. To this end, the

Board gave approval for an increase in the number of staff from twenty (20) to

forty (40). GHRS is in the process of recruiting a competent and experienced team

to execute its core functions of recruitment, selection and training that is

competency-based driven.

b. Cabinet approved an increase in the size of the board from seven (7) to eleven (11)

members.

iv. Relocation of operations

GHRS’ office was recently moved from Maraval to Chaguanas. The new facailities

now provide more parking spaces for clients and five (5) interview rooms.

v. Marketing the services of the Company

A Direct Marketing Plan was prepared and forwarded to the board. It details a targeted

programme to proactively engage with non-client Ministries and promote the services

provided by GHRS.

vi. Outstanding Administrative Reports

a. Officials indicated that the company’s Annual Administrative Report 2010/2011 was

prepared but could not provide an explanation as to why it was not submitted to

Parliament. The Committee was informed that staffing issues would have contributed

to the non-submission of certain reports.


62

b. However, the Committee was informed that the Company’s 2011/2012 Administrative

Report will be submitted to Cabinet shortly and the first draft of the 2012/2013

Administrative Report will be completed by January 31, 2014.

c. Officials assured the Committee that they would seek to determine the status of the

2010/2011 Report.

vii. Compensation/Remuneration

a. The HRM Architecture of the Gold to Diamond Standard will require a re-

examination of the current model of compensation with a view to determining its

competitiveness locally and globally. This may impact positively on the

organization’s ability to attract and retain the best talent in the HR field.

b. In recognizing the need to determine suitable compensation packages to attract the

expertise the Company requires, the GHRS, through the MPA, submitted a

proposal to the Ministerial Committee on Monitoring Remunerations. This

proposal highlights the need for a review of the current terms and conditions of

positions at GHRS, which date back to 2007. It is hoped that if the proposal is

approved, it will result in an increase in the contract period from one (1) to three

(3) years for members of staff.

viii. Allegations of misconduct

With respect to allegations of misconduct involving the chairman of the Board in 2012,

the Committee was advised that the then Chairman resigned as a consequence of these

allegations. No additional disciplinary action was taken by the Company or the MPA.

However, the matter was referred to the Ministry of Finance and the Economy for the

purpose of instituting an audit into the matter. To date, the MPA has not received the

audit report.

ix. Policy on the re-advertisement of positions

With regards to the policy of re-advertising positions, the Committee was advised that

in 2011, ministerial directives were given to Ministries and their associated entities to

re-advertise positions. MPA officials indicated that this policy was still in effect but

admitted that the MPA does not have data on the number of positions within each

Ministry that were re-advertised.

x. GHRS’s input in building the capacity of permanent officers

a. GHRS is diversifying its existing portfolio, to assist with the capacity building of

the public service. In view of this, the MPA has approached GHRS to assist with

performance management, increment calculations, job evaluations, drafting job

descriptions and competency-based interviews.

b. Training programmes facilitated by GHRS is extended to all officers whether

permanent or contract. For example, both classes of officers would benefit from


63

training in structured competency-based interviewing techniques and multi-phase

approaches to assessing interviewees.

xi. Psychometric Testing

Due to staff turnover, there was a lost institutional knowledge and expertise in

psychometric testing, as a result the company had to outsource the provision of these

tests. In 2013, staff were trained and certified in Wave Psychometric Testing and 16PF

Testing.

xii. Employment post-recruitment follow-up mechanism

Officials admitted there is a need to survey Ministries to ascertain whether GHRS’

techniques have yielded results in the post-selection of a candidate.

xiii. Recruitment and Selection exercises

a. Full recruitment, assessment and selection services includes advertisement

designs, online and print media advertising, database searches for suitable

candidates, shortlisting of candidates, development of work samples,

administration of psychometric testing, drafting interviewer questions and

participation in competency-based interviews.

b. GHRS can be engaged by a client to conduct a full or partial recruitment and

selection exercise. The terms of engagement are dependent on the nature of the

request of a Ministry or agency. For example, MPA has utilized GHRS to provide

Professional Development Training for returning scholars.

c. Although each Ministry is responsible for the recruitment of their contract officers,

GHRS can be contracted to provide assistance for recruitment. In 2010, there

were 6,000 bodies in 10,000 contract positions within the public service. The

Committee was surprised to be informed that in 2010, GHRS had recruited only

three hundred (300) of these contract positions. Officials were unable to provide

the current number of contract positions within the public service.

xiv. Integration of Contract and Public Servants

a. Officials admitted that there have been instances where the integration of public

servants and contract officers has been difficult and in this regard, experiences may

vary. These employee relations issues may have been as a result of the level of

supervision, the culture and the reward and recognition schemes of the

organization.

b. It was submitted that in order to alleviate these problems, the legislative and

regulatory framework must be updated. Further, there is also a need for re-

evaluation and re-classification of job positions throughout the public service with

a view to aligning them with demands of a modern public service. The existing

remuneration schemes must also be reformed. Ultimately the goal will be to

transition more positions back to the permanent establishment.


64

xv. Stakeholder Dialogue

Presentations have been made to the PSA and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified

Teachers’ Association (TTUTA). Officials indicated that a presentation will be done

in the upcoming week with the National Productivity Council.

xvi. Professional Development Programme (PDP)

a. The PDP is a voluntary programme offered annually for a period of three (3)

months to provide coaching and mentoring to returning scholars. This Programme

was not offered during the period 2010 to 2012 because of financial and human

resource constraints faced by the MPA. However, it was offered in 2013 to fifty

two (52) persons (26 persons in each of the two cohorts).

b. The MPA admitted that they have not attained full participation in the programme,

but the Ministry intends to take measures to increase the level of interest in the

programme in 2014.

c. Although feedback is received from scholars and assessors during the programme,

officials indicated that there was no feedback mechanism at the conclusion of the

programme.

xvii. Competitors of GHRS

a. The results of a survey conducted by GHRS in mid-2013 revealed that there are

five (5) competitors that provide recruitment, assessment and selection services to

Ministries, state agencies and private organizations. These competitors originate

from the private sector.

b. A comparison was done between GHRS and these five (5) service providers and it

was determined that GHRS had the most competitive prices. It was submitted that

the Company’s other selling point was the robustness of its Recruitment and

Selection techniques. This is one of the reasons GHRS will embark on

implementing its direct marketing plan in an attempt to sensitize potential clients

about its services.

xviii. Financial position of the Company

The Committee was informed that GHRS does not operate with a profit motive. At an

Annual General Meeting held on June 25, 2013, stakeholders advised GHRS to focus

on offsetting its operational costs as opposed to achieving a profit. Therefore, based

on the results of the market study of its competitors, the Company’s pricing policy was

reviewed.

xix. Enhancing Performance Management in the Public Service

GHRS is currently collaborating with the MPA to develop a performance management

training programme. It was noted that this exercise was at a very rudimentary stage.

xx. Internal Auditor


65

a. Further to a decision made by the Board in 2012, an Internal Auditor was recruited

in April 2013. The Internal Auditor reports directly to the Board and

administratively to the Chief Executive Officer.

b. The Chief Executive Officer in consultation with the Audit Committee, developed

an Audit Work Plan and Audit Charter. There has been an audit of the internal

systems of the Company and the reports of those audits were submitted for the

review of the Audit Committee (a sub-committee of the Board) and will thereafter

be submitted to the board (at large) for further discussion and ratification.

xxi. Procurement Procedures

a. In 2013, the management team determined that existing procurement procedures

were in need of revision to be on par with the tendering guidelines set out in the

State Enterprise Performance Manual. To this end, existing procurement

procedures were revised and were approved by the board. According to the said

manual, the Company is authorized to engage in public, selective, sole and

emergency tendering.

b. Public advertisements were done to develop a shortlist of pre-qualified goods and

service providers. The evaluation of this list is in its final stage.

c. Officials indicated that since May 2013, no open tenders were conducted because

most of its projects were low-budget projects. In addition, the Committee was

advised that since October 2013, there have not been any emergency tenders.

Additionally in 2012, e-auction was utilized to purchase laptops.

xxii. International Recruitment

a. GHRS’ mandate requires it to employ strategies to attract and recruit nationals who

are abroad as well as foreigners with experience and expertise. However,

international marketing is a costly exercise and in view of this, the Company has

being pursuing a number of cost effective strategies to achieve this objective.

These include:

collaborating with the British High Commission to acquire information on

National residing in the UK who may be interested in employment at home;

an e-banner is currently being designed for the Commonwealth Governance

website.

b. Also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the request of GHRS, has sent a circular

to all overseas missions highlighting the mandate of GHRS and it is expected that

in upcoming months an e-banner for international recruitment would be placed on

all websites of overseas missions.

6.4 At the conclusion of the hearing, the Chairman conveyed appreciation to the officials for

their attendance. He advised the officials that the Committee would write to them regarding the

additional questions/queries which arose during the hearing.


66

REQUESTED INFORMATION

7.1 The GHRS was asked to furnish the Committee with the following information:

i. the status of the Company’s 2010/2011 Annual Administrative Report;

ii. a list of positions that were re-advertised, the number of incumbents that re-applied

for those positions and the number of employees that were re-hired at GHRS

during the period 2010 to 2013;

iii. the existing pricing policy of the Company;

iv. the number of appeals against contract and tendering decisions between 2010 and

2013 and the status of each appeal; and

v. the number of open and select tenders conducted during fiscal year 2012/2013.

ADJOURNMENT

8.1 The Committee concluded its meeting at 11:53 am and adjourned to Friday February 14,

2014 at 9:00 a.m.

I certify that these Minutes are true and correct.

CHAIRMAN

SECRETARY

February 07, 2014


67

APPENDIX III NOTES OF EVIDENCE


68

PRESENT

Dr. Victor Wheeler Chairman

Mr. David Small Vice-Chairman

Mr. Fitzgerald Jeffrey Member

Dr. Lester Henry Member

Mrs. Raziah Ahmed Member

Miss Alicia Hospedales Member

Mr. Julien Ogilvie Secretary

Mr. Indar Sieunarine Assistant Secretary

Miss Katharina Gokool Research Assistant

ABSENT

Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie Member [Excused]

Mr. Clifton De Coteau Member [Excused]

Dr. Lincoln Douglas Member

Mr. Collin Partap Member

Mr. Kevin Ramnarine Member

Dr. Tim Gopeesingh Member

VERBATIM NOTES OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH MEETING OF THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE OF

PARLIAMENT APPOINTED TO INQUIRE INTO AND REPORT ON GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES

(GROUP 2), STATUTORY AUTHORITIES AND STATE ENTERPRISES FALLING UNDER THOSE

MINISTRIES, HELD IN THE ARNOLD THOMASOS ROOM (EAST), LEVEL 6 AND THE J. HAMILTON

MAURICE ROOM, MEZZANINE FLOOR, OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENT, TOWER D, PORT OF SPAIN

INTERNATIONAL WATERFRONT CENTRE, #1A WRIGHTSON ROAD, PORT OF SPAIN ON

FRIDAY JANUARY 10, 2014 AT 10:05 A.M.

69

10.05 a.m.: Meeting resumed.

Mr. Chairman: Good morning and I would like to welcome you to the Twenty-eighth Meeting of the

Joint Select Committee of Parliament appointed to report on Ministries, Statutory Authorities and State

Enterprises (Group 2). I would like to extend New Year greetings to those of you present today, also the

viewing and the listening audience.

I would also like to welcome officials from the Ministry of Public Administration and officials from the

Government Human Resources Services Company Limited. Could I invite first of all the representatives

of the Government Human Resources Services Company Limited to introduce yourselves?

[Introductions made]

GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES COMPANY LIMITED (GHRS)


Mr. Wayne Munro Chairman

Mr. Khari Murray Vice President, Human Capital Management

Mr. Geoffrey Lewis Vice President, Corporate Planning and Deputy CEO


Mr. Chairman: Could I have the members of the Ministry of Public Administration?

[MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION]




Ms. Abigail Bynoe Manager, Policy, Strategy and

Monitoring Unit


Mr. Chairman: Right, morning, I am Dr. Victor Wheeler, Chairman of the Committee and I will just

like to invite other Committee Members to introduce themselves.

Miss. Hospedales: Good morning, I am Alicia Hospedales, Member.

Mr. Small: Good morning, I am David Small, Vice Chairman.

Mr. Jeffrey: Fitzgerald Jeffrey, Member.

Mrs. Ahmed: Good morning. Raziah Ahmed, Member.

Mr. Chairman: Good morning. This morning we have today the Government Human Resources


70

Services Company Limited. This is one of the agencies under the Ministry of Public Administration

which is under the purview of the Joint Select Committee (Group 2) for Ministries and State Agencies

where we are to enquire into the operations and practice of these agencies.

This morning the objectives of the enquiry is as follows:

“To assess the Company's input and performance with regards to the fulfillment of the following strategic

goals and objectives:

the filling of vacancies throughout the public service and”—the—“public enterprises;

the application of HR best practices across the public sector;

the execution of…Professional Development Programme…;

the attainment of the Gold to Diamond…Vision; and

the model of the organizational structure.”

Other objectives include:

“To acquire insight into the procedures that are applied in the contracting and outsourcing of services;

To inquire into the strategic objectives of the newly appointed Board at the GHRS.

To understand the major challenges faced by the GHRS and…the achievements of the company for the

period 2010—2013.”

And to determine—

“The nature of the GHRSs’ association…”—or—“relations with the various Service Commissions, State

Enterprises, Municipal Corporations, Regional Health Authorities vis-á-vis the recruitment of staff to

service these bodies.”

Now, the Committee is in receipt of pre-hearing information that was requested of the GHRS and I have

been told that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration has a brief five-minute

presentation that she would like to do, so I would like to invite you to proceed, Ms. Macintyre.

Ms. Macintyre: Good morning again, Chairman and Members. We welcome the opportunity to share

the Ministry of Public Administration’s vision and strategy for our public service. In so doing, I will

capture, very briefly, information on Gold to Diamond as outlined in your letter of invitation, and

illustrate the roles of the central HRM agencies and the GHRS.

One of the reasons why I felt that the PowerPoint might help is that a lot of our concepts are actually

quite visually driven and this is the vision for the public service. We refer to it as a one-stop shop, no

wrong door, the multi-channel approach to service delivery. In other words, citizens can access any


71

service, at any time, using any channel or mechanism, be it online, mobile, over the counter.

The emphasis is on the citizens and meeting their needs at every stage of the service in terms of design

and delivery. These are just some questions posed as to where we are today as opposed to where we want

to go in terms of the vision that I have just indicated.

In 2012, we launched the Gold to Diamond Programme. As you would know, 2012 was the year of our

50th Anniversary of Independence and in December of that year, 50 public officers, which included

teachers, nurses, doctors, senior public officials, were honoured.

We recognized that the public service, at that time, can be described as a golden public service. It was

fit for purpose, in the sense of the 1962 shape and delivery of its services, and that what we want to strive

to move towards in the next ten years, 2022 is a diamond public service.

Our Diamond Model is built on four pillars—people, because first of all we recognize that people are the

prerequisite for all reforms. It is the people who will put the infrastructure in place, who will acquire the

technology and ensure that officers are properly accommodated. This in turn enables the delivery of

quality services using a citizen-centred approach. Of course, all of this is premised on governance,

accountability and transparency, and in fact our working hypothesis is that good governance and strong

institutions are key to sustainable service delivery.

The Diamond model we further have deconstructed it along the lines of how one would determine the

worth of a diamond—which is the three Cs, cut, carat and clarity. The three Cs for us, in terms of looking

at the four pillars of the diamond, are capability, connectedness and culture. And I would not go into

details on this because of the fact that we are just giving a flavour of Gold to Diamond, but it in essence

fleshes out the Gold to Diamond programme.

Just to recap though that our emphasis is that the public service renewal and modernization is built on the

premise that only when there is a strong policy environment, institutions with the right people in the right

jobs, with the appropriate infrastructure operating on a high level service platform centred around the

three Cs, the public service will have the capacity to continuously improve the quality and the

effectiveness of its services.

We wanted to share with you, as I said, the broad aspects of G2D but our purpose here today is the Human

Resource Management function and so I will now shift my focus there. You will hear me refer to the

Human Resource Management architecture and by the Human Resource Management architecture, I refer

to the organizational structures, positions, job designs, salary classifications, career paths, capacity and


72

capability. It also includes the legislative and regulatory framework including those of central HRM

agencies such as the Service Commissions Department and the Personnel Department.

10.15 a.m.

Ms. Macintyre: And it is the HR processes. For example, appointments, promotions, discipline, training

and development. Some of what are set in legislation.

Bringing the career public service in line with 21st Century needs is one of the major objectives of the

new HRM architecture that we are trying to create and ensuring that public officers have the training to

be able to advance.

This picture captures, I know your backs are turned but it is a useful picture in showing that the pyramid

is what we currently have, which is a base which is very wide at the bottom with a very narrow apex at

the top. We want to move towards a diamond where the middle management layer is broadened and we

have technical and professional streams which would allow the executive at the top to delegate, once

there is the strong policy environment in place and would prevent the bottlenecking of decisions up at the

top.

The bottom is narrowed because we are collapsing some of the jobs in that area and making them

multifunctional, so that there is an integration of the clerical and secretarial classes and we have already

started that with the creation of a new stream called the Management Support Officers.

Our focus groups reveal that officers in the clerical and secretarial classes have acute dissatisfaction and

embarrassment with their job titles and so, out of that focus group was the reason that we created, and as

well other objective data through surveys, we agreed to create the management support series, which is

currently in negotiation with the union and the CPO.

Some of the new streams at the middle level that we would like to create are in the areas of procurement,

monitoring and evaluations, policy and strategy, information management. So that actually those are

what we would describe as the horizontal types streams and within Ministries there would vertical

streams. So, for example, a Ministry of Trade would be looking at broadening their professional jobs at

the middle level.

How will GHRS and the central human resource management agencies enable the gold to diamond

journey? Well, MPA and the central agencies operate under the strategic pillar of the national

sustainability framework of good governance. And in that regard, I have captured here again in a slide

to depict the roles of the service commission, the personnel department in MPA.


73

Service Commissions Department, as you would know is a constitutional, it supports the service

commissions, which are constitutionally independent and responsible for the appointment, promotion,

transfers and discipline of establishment or permanent establishment of public officers.

The CPO, on the other hand, is regarded as the employer and is responsible for industrial relations and

compensation, both for public officers in the case of compensation and contract officers.

The MPA, a central agency, is responsible for approving the organizational structures of ministries and

human resource development policy as well as we have the Public Service Academy, which actually

delivers training to public officers on some of the key areas for ensuring continuity of the public service.

At this point I would just like to point out, in terms of supporting the modernization effort, the personnel

department is in the process of doing a job evaluation exercise.

We often forget that the line agencies also have a human resource management function and so that the

Permanent Secretary or the head of department is responsible for recruitment and selection of contract

employment as well as training and performance management for all employees.

In 2011, the Minister of Public Administration established a Strategic Human Resource Management

Council. As you would realize HR in the public service, from what I have previously indicated, is

extremely fragmented and it was felt that the council, by bringing in the CPO and her Deputy CPOs, the

DPA and her Deputy DPAs and the Deputy Chairman of the Service Commission, would help to bring

together the various central agencies in setting strategy and monitoring the human resource management

modernization programme.

I now turn to GHRS and their role in G2D. They essentially collaborate with MPA to assist in building

HR capacity and to assist ministries with their recruitment activities for contract employees, if I could

just emphasize that.

Mr. Chairman: “Yeah”. Are you in the match process of winding up?

Ms. Macintyre: Yes, yes, I do not have much more. Okay, just the last thing that we wanted to

emphasize for GHRS in particular is that we have moved to a multi-phased assessment approach based

on research that shows that interviews, particularly if they are unstructured and carried out by untrained

individuals, are poor predicators of fit into an organization.

I will share the presentation with you, which essentially gives the research data as to the predictive value

of the multi-phased assessment. But in essence, it has been found that it improves accuracy by 68 per

cent, if you use an assessment centre approach, to recruiting employees, as opposed to interviews alone,


74

which only has a 15 per cent accuracy and references, which have 12 per cent accuracy.

So to wrap up, the diamond state for our public service, we have just outlined that we want a resilient,

adaptive public service, which can facilitate sustainable, economic development. We have central

agencies who have been transformed and are delegating their functions to the line but carrying out the

roles of standard-setting, quality assurance and value-based auditing and as well GHRS, we hope in years

to come, their role will evolve because right now their focus is a lot on recruitment but it would continue

to be an institution that continues to support HR capacity. Thank you very much.

We have copies of the presentation if you would so like.

Mr. Chairman: Thank you. I would also like to invite Mr. Franklin Ali, the CEO of GHRS to give

some brief remarks.

Mr. Ali: Thank you Chairman. Good morning again members and everyone. I am happy to be here as

the CEO of the Government Human Resource Services Company Limited and I am also happy to have

my team in support of this exercise.

This management team was recruited in 2013. And while we are a small entity at this point, we have 16

employees on staff. We do have approval to take those numbers up to 40 and we are in the process of

recruiting an additional 17 positions to bring us up to strength as we move to not just fulfil our mandate

of providing human resource support to the public service but also, as the PS just mentioned, to look at

other areas that we can develop training programmes, training interventions and give general support to

public service agencies and entities.

We are very clear in our mind, in terms of our mandate. The company was set up by Cabinet Minute in

2006 and incorporated under the Companies Act on October 26, 2006. We are governed by the by-laws

that were established for the company and we are also bound by the guidelines of the state enterprise

performance manual. Thank you very much, Chairman.

Mr. Chairman: Thank you, and Mr. Munro you would like to give some brief remarks?

Mr. Munro: Good day everyone, Chairman of the GHRS. It should be noted that the board received

instruments of appointment on October 14, 2013 and our first board meeting started October 25, 2013,

and in that light the board was called upon to initiate a strategic move from Maraval to Chaguanas, in

which we put all our resources and efforts to aid in that transformation effort.

Additionally, we asked for the organizational structure with the organization to see the extent to which

the capacity of the workers are there, in terms of being able to meet a number of deliverables as it relates


75

to human resource development and in so doing, before the end of the year the staffing levels would be

doubled in order to cater to the needs requirement of the public service as a whole.

Additionally, we also asked for the strategic plan of the organization because we say that as a new board

we need to look forward, in terms of how we see the different aspects of service delivery, as it relates to

human resource development, as it relates to doing up contracts, as it relates to planning programmes for

the public service as a whole, particularly for contract workers.

So in that light, we the board instructed the management to put things in place. By March we would have

a clear strategic plan such that we would be able to make those particular targets that we would be able

to propel the public service in an efficient manner as it relates to service delivery and we are also on board

in terms of a number programmes and packages in order to train when needed, where necessary, when

called upon by different aspects of the Government in order to make that input.

The reason is that growth and development in any country requires an investment in human resource.

When you are looking at the global index and the human resource index a number of inputs goes within

developing the human index, as well as improving productivity generally and a major component of that

is human resources.

Countries such as Singapore and other countries, Switzerland and so on, they are ranked high on the index

of performance and efficiency. The purpose of they being ranked high on that index of efficiency is that

there is a separate body in those countries that are required in order to make an input, as it relates to

human resource development, in terms of selection of persons in the whole matrix, in order to drive the

economy forward on the road from gold to diamond by 2022. Thank you very much.

Mr. Chairman: Thank you. I would now like to invite members to ask questions. Sen. Small.

Mr. Small: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning and welcome to the representatives of the

Ministry of Public Administration and the representatives of the GHRS.

I want to, with the Chairman’s permission, comment quickly and shortly on the presentation by Madam

Permanent Secretary. I think it is an insightful presentation about where the vision is for the plan to

change the public service. I think, for me, when I look at it though I like the elements in there but for me

one of the critical elements that I, as I say it was skipped over, is about managing performance and it is—

you can have the best people. You can recruit the best people but you need to—there needs to be systems

in place to make sure that people have the environment to be able to perform and then that the supervisors

understand that it is their responsibility to help those under them grow.


76

Having had one or two years’ experience in the civil service it is a fundamental failing of the system that

people are thrust into management positions but have no management skills. It is not their fault. They

have no management skills. They do not know how to manage people and understanding how to get the

best of out of the people that they have. What often happens is that people get to management positions,

have information, know about everything and then keep it to themselves. So I think that is something

that, in the way in which the Ministry of Public Administration is planning—and I am supportive—I think

that understanding the challenges.

I heard mention of the dissatisfaction of the manipulative classes. There is a reason for that because they

are kept out of everything that happens. There are several reasons, if you delve into it. It is probably

touchy for me because I have done it for a little while. So let me go straight to my question. I do not

want to digress too much, Mr. Chairman, but I think my brain is linked to what you are trying to achieve.

Okay, I want to rush quickly to—my first question is that the filling of vacancies throughout the public

service and public enterprises is one of the objectives of the organization. But given the fact that the

public service is— and I am addressing this to both the Permanent Secretary and to the CEO of the

company. I noted in your numbers there are 1,381 interviews or advertisements conducted in the past

three years, do you think this is a significant contribution towards filling the—over the past three years,

based on the information provided? I am seeing 1,381 interviews/advertisements. I not sure if that really

is a measure of an organization that is making a significant contribution to filling vacancies and improving

the public service. Could someone respond to me on that?

10.30 a.m.

Ms. Macintyre: Member Small, I just want to say first of all, that GHRS is not doing all vacancies in

the public service. A Ministry has to request its services, and they are only focusing on contract

employment, so that the figure is only for contract employees. In addition, for a significant period of

time I would say between 2010 and 2012, even 2013, the organization had several changes at the

Executive which would have affected, not only at the Executive, they were experiencing the same issues

in terms of turnover of staff, so that it would have affected their operations in that regard. But I certainly

believe the CEO could answer further, but I believe that since this team has taken control, it has been on

the rise.

Dr. Ali: Thank you. With the permission of members and Chair, I will expand a bit further. It is

absolutely correct to say that GHRS started with a huge mandate and with very humble infrastructure and


77

staffing. Just by way of background information, between 2007—2012, the highest amount of staffing

in the organization would have been 18, where the organization had 20 approved positions. The

management team that came on board in May 2013, saw the urgent need to build internal capacity within

the organization, if it was to move forward on fulfilling its mandates of providing HR facilitation support

services to the public service, and also training and development.

We worked closely with the board in the early part of 2013 to conduct an internal review of the operations

that saw a drive to address our skills gap. It was very important for us to not only build internal capacity,

but also to build capacity in our client-services areas that will be reaching out to Ministries and state

agencies offering our services.

Just by way of illustration, at that time there were only six positions in 2013 that would speak to reaching

out to provide recruitment, selection and training. We have since gotten approval to move that up to 19

positions and we are now in the process of filling those positions. We believe that if we are to roll-out

our service, we must get our house in order and we are working assiduously in doing that.

As we follow a process of recruiting, we are looking to build a competent team, and experienced team, a

team that can go out there and run with recruitment and selection that is competency-based driven, that

can go out and do training to our clients, do HR audits, do compensation reviews, job descriptions, job

redesign, organization transformation issues, and those are issues that are in many instances very much

needed within Ministries and state agencies. So we are, in fact, retooling the business.

We have also redesigned the business model to focus not just on recruitment and selection, but also the

support services in terms of HR interventions. We believe that as we move aggressively to recruit and

build our staffing team that we have also made a strategic move to set up our base of operations from

Saddle Road, which was identified as a very cramped, suboptimal location and infrastructure resources,

to a central location in Chaguanas.

We now have our infrastructure facilities in place in terms of parking for clients coming to our site. We

have a number of interview rooms. Our previous location was just one. We have five rooms now that

are geared towards doing those customized recruitment and assessments. We are working, filling our

resources, building our capacity and getting our infrastructure in order, so that we can roll out to do more.

And if I can just add, we have recently presented what we describe as a direct marketing plan to the HR

committee of the board, and it is also at the level of the board, that speaks to a targeted programme where

GHRS personnel will go out and meet and treat with Ministries that do business with us, and also


78

Ministries that have not done business with us, but we are reaching out and upselling our services to let

them know that we are here, that we are here to support and to assist them in their HR endeavours.

Thank you.

Mr. Small: I appreciate your response, because you have answered my second question, because I

listened to the Permanent Secretary and in her comment she indicated that you had to be approached by

agencies and my issue was why can you not be proactive? Why can GHRS not go out and proactively

offer its services to Ministries, departments and state agencies? And I am happy to hear—well, you have

answered my question. That was my next question, what are you doing to proactively market your

services to other Government agencies? So that is why it is great that you are building capacity, but in

order—you have built it, you need to apply it. So you have answered my second question, because that

for me is the next logical step in what you are doing. Mr. Chairman?

Mr. Chairman: Okay. Miss Hospedales.

Miss Hospedales: Good morning. In the annual report or the administrative report for 2008/2009, you

all had indicated that you adhered to the reporting schedule provided by the Ministry of Finance and the

Economy, right? Could you tell us exactly why you are late in the submission of your 2010/2011,

2011/2012 and 2012/2013—no, just to make sure, let me correct myself 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and

2011/2012 administrative reports?

Ms. Macintyre: I can only speak for 2011/2012; 2011/2012 is currently going to Cabinet. I believe it

was in Cabinet yesterday. Again, I would say the staffing issues have affected the company completing

on time their annual reports. Perhaps you [Ms. Macintyre nods towards Dr. Ali] might be able to respond

for the earlier period, Dr. Ali?

Dr. Ali: Likewise, I am unable to respond to the earlier period. What I can say is that the 2010/2011

annual report was, in fact, prepared. It is just a question of where that would be at this point; 2011/2012

as the PS said was, in fact, prepared and that is moving forward. I am also happy to report that the annual

report for 2012/2013, we expect to have the first draft in the month of January ending, which is this month

here, and that will also coincide with our audited financial statements for 2012/2013, where we expect to

have the first draft as well by the end of January this year.

Thank you.

Miss Hospedales: Just for some clarity. How could later administrative reports move forward and the

earlier ones were not submitted?


79

Dr. Ali: Yes. As I said, I am unable to respond to the earlier reports as they were a bit before my time,

but I recall that I did see a draft of the 2010/2011 annual report. It would be something that with the

permission of the committee, that we can do some follow up enquiries both at GHRS and the line Ministry

and provide clarification.

Miss Hospedales: Mr. Chair, I am thinking that these reports are required as—it is a requirement to be

submitted to Parliament, and it makes no sense submitting later reports if the earlier ones were not

submitted. I think as Dr. Ali indicated, it is necessary for them to go and locate those reports if they are

existing, and if not, to ensure that they are prepared for submission to Parliament.

Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: Dr. Henry.

Dr. Henry: Yes. I am not sure who will take up the response to my questions. I have a couple of

questions here. The first one involves the issue just mentioned about the staff turnover, because I am

reading here where you say you are competitive in your pricing vis-à-vis private enterprises, private HR

operations, but what about your compensation? Is that the issue that resulted in the staff turnover that

created all these problems, that reports were not submitted on time and so on? So either you could answer

that directly or try to shed some light on what was going on that caused this staff problem because you

seem to be indicating that you really for the first two years, 2010/2011, 2011/2012, you are “kinda fuzzy”,

it is not clear what went on.

Ms. Macintyre: I returned to the Ministry myself in 2011. As far as I know when I returned to the

Ministry, they were already experiencing vacancies in the organization because of policies which had to

do with where persons had to be—the positions had to be readvertised. As well, the changes at the board

level—because there were several changes at the board level—would have affected the recruitment

activity. Those are the only two things that I can indicate would have affected that. I cannot say that

compensation at this stage affected it.

Dr. Henry: So the high turnover of the staff that was mentioned, is simply because people were recruited

and then had to be dismissed because they were not properly recruited? Is that it?

Ms. Macintyre: No, they were not dismissed, there was a requirement that their positions be advertised

again.

Dr. Henry: Okay and they left because of it?

Ms. Macintyre: At the end of their contracts.


80

Dr. Henry: They left? Okay.

Ms. Macintyre: Right. Some of them would have applied again; some of them would not have applied.

Dr. Henry: Okay. So the idea is there was not stability in the running of the operation?

Ms. Macintyre: Yes.

Dr. Henry: Okay. And you said you cannot say in terms of compensation, because I know just of my

basic knowledge of the HR area, it is one of the more lucrative fields in this country. People make a lot

of money in HR. I mean I have a few friends who are quite well off from HR. [Laughter] So I am

wondering well, how could you be—are you competitive in terms of when you bring somebody into this

agency is their pay comparable to—and what determines that? What are your problems in terms of

competing with the private HR firms?

Ms. Macintyre: I would say it is challenging—[Interruption]

Dr. Henry: It is challenging?

Ms. Macintyre:—both in the central public service and in the state enterprises. So as I said, I do not

have actual evidence to say that it resulted in people not coming to the organization, but if I speak from

the challenges we face in the central public service and they are not much better off than we are, it is very

challenging.

Mr. Madray: I will just add to that, that part of the programme of HRM architecture renewal, will

require us to address that model of compensation in terms of our competitiveness, both internally in the

country as well as globally, because if we have to develop a strong human capital management

framework, and if we have to compete globally with countries that are managing their people better, we

have to have the ability to retain the best of our talent both in the HR field and the HR managers being in

a position to manage the talent of those organizations and the country generally.

Dr. Henry: Okay.

Dr. Ali: Mr. Chairman, with your permission if I can just shed a bit of clarification in terms of the

question from the point of view of GHRS. I did mention that we are looking to build our HR capacity,

and we did, in fact, conduct a skills-gap analysis that led to additional staffing. The other element that

goes with that is terms, conditions and compensation, and we recognize that if we were going to build

capacity in the organization, we needed to also approach the contentious issue of determining fair

packages to attract the expertise we want. To that effect with board approval, GHRS did, in fact, prepare

a proposal to go to the ministerial committee for monitoring remunerations. That proposal was prepared


81

and submitted procedurally to our line Ministry, and I believe that has gone forward and is now receiving

the attention of the ministerial committee, that would speak to terms for positions at GHRS.

I can also share with you that the organization—the staffing is currently at salary levels that were

determined way back in 2007, so that we are optimistic. We have made a strong case that will show that

there is need for our positions to be reviewed favourably. In addition to that, one of the reasons I would

imagine, apart from pay, would be tenure that would resulted in a number of persons leaving over the

years prior, and we sought to address that. One of the things that the company will be doing going forward

as approved by the board, once the ministerial committee releases their responses, we would be looking

to offer three-year employment contacts to all employees. As it stands now several of those are with one-

year contracts, and we believe that is not optimal, that does not lend to stability, and it probably would

have been a real reason why in prior years there were staff turnovers.

10.45 a.m.

So, in essence, with a proposal to review remuneration upwards and to also give some tenure in terms of

longer employment contracts, we believe that we should be in a better position to have internal stability

for staff, moving forward.

Dr. Henry: Chair, I hope the irony is not lost. Thanks for the clarification because we did make some

progress there. I think I learned something more in terms of what were the issues involved at the

company, but we cannot really have the HR company not carrying out best practices. That is your job to

do that, right?

I will hold off on my other questions for another time.

Mr. Chairman: Ms. Macintyre, you said you came into the position in 2011. Well I am not sure you

can shed some light on this.

In 2012, there were allegations of misconduct involving a senior member of the company’s board and

this was reported in the press. The allegations concerned the existence of conflicts of interest regarding

transactions that involved the said board member and his private firm. Are you aware if these allegations

were substantiated?

Ms. Macintyre: The matter was referred to the Ministry of Finance for them to undertake an audit. We

have not received the report of the audit as yet.

Mr. Chairman: Are you aware if there was any disciplinary action/legal action taken as a result?

Ms. Macintyre: The chairman resigned from the board—the person whom the allegations were made


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against—so there would have been no disciplinary action required.

Mr. Chairman: Would you say if this would have contributed as well to some of challenges that the

organization would have faced as has been mentioned?

Ms. Macintyre: Well, I have indicated previously that the frequent transitions both at the board level

and the management level have contributed to the challenges that the organization has faced.

Mr. Chairman: Mr. Small.

Mr. Small: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam Permanent Secretary, in your responses to the questions

raised by member Henry—I hope I did not get it incorrectly, but I think what I captured, he said that there

were policies in place that positions had to be advertised. I would like to get some insight into those

policies because—was that something generated within the Ministry of Public Administration or was that

something that was a Cabinet directive?

Could you provide some clarification on the policy that positions had to be advertised because actually,

when you look at the GHRS in their submissions, one of the issues about making sure that they have—

they talk about stability and security of tenure and that is a key to organizational success. So, for me,

there is a dichotomy that if you are saying that there is a policy in place that positions must be re-

advertised and then the GHRS is saying that in order to have a proper organization, you need stability

and security of tenure, it seems that the two organizations that are in charge of people in the public service

seem to be at cross purposes or have different views.

Could you help me, one, with the policy—and I hope I captured it correctly. The policy position had to

be re-advertised. Could you help us with the emanation of that policy or how and is it still in effect? I

would like you to inform the Committee.

Ms. Macintyre: There is no Cabinet decision on it. It was instructions that were given to Ministries and

to agencies at the ministerial level.

Miss Hospedales: Mr. Chair—

Mr. Small: I have one small question, Miss Hospedales. I have a quick question. It is kind of related.

Is the GHRS responsible for the recruitment and selection of its own employees?

Dr. Ali: Yes, it is.

Mr. Small: Yes, it is. That is interesting.

Miss Hospedales: Mr. Chair, just piggyback riding on Mr. Small’s question, I would like to ask if

members of GHRS can provide for us a list of the positions that were re-advertised, those persons who


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reapplied, those who were rehired and those who moved on, if it is possible, during period 2010—2013.

Dr. Ali: Yes, we will undertake to provide that information.

Mr. Small: I do not want it to seem that we are colluding, but that was my next question. Given that

this was a directive and a policy, will the Ministry of Public Administration be able provide to the

Committee a compendium of lists in every Ministry, how many positions, based on a policy, had to be

advertised? How many were re-advertised across Ministries, not necessarily GHRS, so that we can

understand what was the effect of this policy across the system?

I think that it is important that the effect, as has been pointed out by Madam Permanent Secretary, of a

ministerial directive, that had effects across the civil service, I would like for the Committee to be

informed of what the effect of that was across the civil service and to get an understanding how many

people were affected and how many people reapplied and how many are those positions are now filled,

whether with new people or previous people. I would be happy if the Ministry were to provide that

information to the Committee.

Ms. Macintyre: I would not have up-to-date information on that. I believe there was a parliamentary

question that was put in the House, I think it could have been, so there may be some data that you could

get from that question.

Mr. Chairman: Is this information not residing in your Ministry?

Ms. Macintyre: It would not reside in our Ministry. One of the deficiencies in the public service is the

fact that our human resource information systems are very weak so that each time we have to get

information like that, we would have to write to each Ministry and ask them to do it. We always would

have it at a point in time.

Mr. Chairman: This sounds like a challenge for the Ministry itself—

Ms. Macintyre: It is extremely challenging.

Mr. Chairman:—which I would suggest needs to be addressed.

Ms. Macintyre: Yes, it is something. As I said in my introductory piece, I have just given you a very

brief flavour of gold-to-diamond. A major plank of gold-to-diamond is human resource management

modernization and we could go into further details.

Mr. Small mentioned performance management. I did not touch that. The focus today was GHRS. There

are also plans with respect to human resource information management systems, what we want to do in

that area, so it would take a lot more to be able to give that kind of information.


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Mr. Chairman: Could I ask then, since the GHRS is responsible for recruiting contract positions only—

the capacity that the organization is building to build the public service—how does that link with the

permanent officers in the public service? Is the GHRS providing services to building the capacity of

those permanent officers?

Ms. Macintyre: GHRS would be—one of the things they have indicated is that they are trying to

diversify their portfolio so they are providing capacity building. For example, our Ministry has

approached them for assistance with performance management, with working out increments, with job

evaluation, with drafting job descriptions, with competency-based interviews. Any other Ministry could

approach them, and I am sure when they have their marketing aspects fully in place, they would also be

going out and advising agencies that they can provide these services. So from that point of view, they

are helping with the capacity building of the public service.

Mr. Chairman: Are you specifically referring to the capacity of the permanent—because you are

employing contract officers. I am referring to the permanent employees in the public service. Is capacity

building built in these individuals as well.

Mr. Madray: If I may address one aspect of that question, part of the core functions of GHRS, as the

PS mentioned, is the trail blazing with respect to structured competency-based interviewing techniques,

multichannel approaches, multiphase approaches to assessing individuals, lifting the standard above mere

interviews. In so doing, they typically have to work with agencies and in fact have run training

programmes for Ministries on exactly those techniques. That is one capacity building area that we are

addressing.

So when managers sit on interview panels for contract employees, those managers may include permanent

employees and thus through both structured training programmes as well as on-to-the-job direct

experiences, managers’ ability and sophistication in recruiting is increasing. At least that is the goal.

Ms. Macintyre: Just making it clear that the training would be given to both permanent and contract

employees because training is on the basis of your function. So we would not say that GHRS would only

train contract employees. Training has to do with trying to improve the delivery of your function. So

coming back to recruitment, we use a mix of permanent and contract employment for recruitment.

Dr. Henry: Going back to the issue here, you see on page 23 of your submission, under Challenges,

Table 3, you said that “staff involved in recruitment, not in possession of specialized training in

psychometric testing”, is this really implying that you had people administering psychometric tests who


85

did not know what they were doing?

Dr. Ali: Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I will respond to that question. Competency-based

interviewing comprise of a number of elements and that includes the design and administration of work

samples. It also includes psychometric testing. There are different modules out there. We use Wave and

16PF. In prior years, where you had staff trained in administering these psychometric testing, because of

the staff turnover, persons trained would have left the organization. Those who would have left the

organization at the time prior, the organization would have used outsourcing to provide those

competency-based psychometric testing.

What we have done in 2013, in building capacity, we recognize that one must take ownership of

psychometric testing and we have in fact, in 2013, done a number of training with respect to Wave

psychometric testing and 16PF.

As we stand today, we have a number of officers with us that are certified in Wave psychometric testing

and 16PF testing, as we move forward. We will continue to train our people, as we hire and bring on

board, particularly in that aspect because it is one of the best-practice approach in competency-based

interviewing where you do not just do a short list, develop questions and administer. Here you go the

way of best practice through psychometric testing, which can determine the better fit for position based

on personalities and traits that you see coming out through this exercise. It is a very essential aspect of

recruitment and selection and we are committed to training and development in that particular area.

Dr. Henry: My next question is somewhat of a deviation from my line before. After the person is

recruited for a contract position and they get the job in a Ministry per se, is there any follow-up or by

GHRS? Does it end there? What happens after?

Ms. Macintyre: GHRS has to be engaged for a particular activity. So they would be engaged for

recruitment. They could be engaged, if the Ministry wanted to engage them, to also handle or assist them

with orientation. My Ministry, for example, has used them a lot for what we call professional

development programmes, which is a mentoring/coaching programme for our scholars. So it depends on

what a Ministry would have asked them to do. Dr. Ali, would you want to add to that?

Dr. Ali: Thank you, PS. With the permission of the Chair, I will add to that. When we talk about

recruitment, assessment and selection done under GHRS, we talk about a number of aspects and clients

can engage us to do either the full recruitment, assessment and selection or partial.

11.00 a.m.


86

The full recruitment assessment and selection will talk to us doing everything from designing the ads,

advertising online and print; doing the shortlist; developing internally the work sample or case studies as

some of us would call it that would test the shortlisted candidates in terms of their theoretical knowledge

against real-life experience. We will also administer the psychometric test and design the draft questions

and participate in the competency-based interview. We will also do a database search of our e-recruitment

database to find candidates based on the profile. That is the full recruitment assessment and selection

that we offer from A to Z.

A Ministry, a client can say, well, we do not require that full range of service, we require you just to

advertise, print and online and process a list of all candidates meeting the profile and submit that to us.

We can do that. A client can say, we would like you to do a database search. We have 39,000 CVs in

our database at present. A client can say, well do a database search and give us CVs on names of persons

that meet the criteria for a particular job. We can do that, and clients have asked for those partial before.

What we are promoting as we move the direct marketing plan forward and try to engage with our clients

out there, is to push complete recruiting that involves work samples, psychometric testing, the full nine

yards is best practice that would help us to help our clients to get the best fit for positions that I am sure

are essentials in their resourcing, so that when they do hire they have organizational success.

So in summary, while we can do the full range, the clients determine the level or our involvement as far

as recruitment and selection is concerned.

Mr. Madray: If I may add, your question was about follow-up, subsequent to the GHRS engagement.

I think there is a need for that in terms of surveying Ministries as to whether the techniques used yielded

the results. I mean the international research suggests that multiphase approaches do improve the

predictive validity of the recruitment, but we have not done such surveys here in terms of whether

managers believe that they are getting the results that they had hoped for. We do need to do that.

Dr. Henry: That was the essence of what I was trying to get at in terms of feedback mechanism and

follow up as to: why would the Ministry come to you again other than some non-logical reason. They

must have a logical reason why they will say, “Well, okay we were happy with what we got from GHRS

and, therefore, we are going to come again. One of the things that I am not clear about is why do the

Ministries come to you. Are they mandated to? They are not. So therefore, they have to have some

reason as to why they would come to you as opposed to do their own thing.

Mr. Chairman: One question, now probably Ms. Macintyre or Mr. Madray—now you say a Ministry


87

will come to you to assist in the recruitment of contract employees. How does the Ministry then integrate

these contract employees with the public servants who are functioning under the service commission and

report to the service commission? What is the supervision? What process is used to supervise these

contract officers that are employed by the Ministries and what is the relationship with the permanent

officers? The reason I am asking that is, I am in the health sector and we had a disastrous experience

with public servants and RHA officers working side by side doing the same job; different compensation,

different reporting lines. What is the experience with the contract officers and the public servants in these

Ministries?

Ms. Macintyre: I would invite DPS Madray to add to what I say, but to respond to it I would say there

is varied experience. If it might be useful, I would just share what happens within my Ministry. In the

Ministry of Public Administration we tend not to mix a unit with both permanent and contract workers.

Most of our units are either completely contract or they are more permanent establishment. For example

HR would be strongly a permanent establishment or finance and accounts so that the supervision is a bit

easier in that instance.

We do know of instances outside where there has been difficulty because of a mixture, not only with

supervision but just tensions between the different types of officers. I think it very much has to do with

the culture of your organization; how you reward people, and here we talk about reward not only being

monetary but recognition which contributes to people working in a harmonious-type way. That does not

mean that you do not still end up with the problems that you are referring to. I am not being naive in that

sense but, it is something that we are working on. That is part of updating the legislative and regulatory

framework because I think the reality for us is that contract employment is not going to go away. What

the modernization programme is working on is to try and modernize the jobs and try to ensure that those

jobs that I flagged are brought in to the central public service so that we do not lose our institutional

memory. I am sure DPS may have something that he could add.

Mr. Madray: Well, I do not have much more to add to that except to say that it is a 10-year programme

of reshaping the HR architecture. We do recognize that we need to have stability in the public service

and career paths, and the best way of doing that is to transition back to a strong establishment, but we

need to do so in a careful way so that we get the quality results that we need.

We need to make sure—to give just one example—that the jobs on the establishment are modern, relevant

jobs and that is one of the reasons why the contract employment grew so significantly over the years that,


88

in many cases, the job descriptions that were being written—take the field of IT—were a lot more modern

and could be adjusted more rapidly to suit changing needs. So our efforts are going to be over the next

few years to create jobs, get them classified and transition more and more back to the establishment.

Mr. Chairman: But how does what blend with the number of vacancies that already exist in the public

service that are not being filled? You are talking about creating additional jobs, permanent jobs, I am

getting from you. Why the agency has not been assisting the service commissions in recruiting or filling

the vacancies in the public services? Should this not be part of your mandate rather than just focusing on

contract positions?

Ms. Macintyre: If you will recall in the presentation, the service commissions are constitutionally

independent so that we cannot direct them as to utilize GHRS for example to assist with recruitment.

They could go out when they are doing an exercise and do a tender and GHRS could bid. That could be

one way they could utilize GHRS.

When you pose the question about the vacancies, one needs to go back as to why are there vacancies and

it comes back to the HRM modernization programme in that many of these jobs are antiquated, out of

date; they need to be modernized; they need to be reclassified so the job evaluation exercise is crucial

there, but the job evaluation exercise that is currently going on is actually only looking at existing jobs.

So there is going to be a need for a further job evaluation exercise for the new streams that we hoping to

come in. It is only when these new jobs are designed and classified and that our compensation as DPS

Madray indicated—there is a whole review of a compensation policy and how we approach it that is part

of the whole modernization effort—we would expect that we could pay better, the compensation will be

better because that is one of the reasons that your jobs are not being filled.

Qualifications as I say, going back to the job. One example that we are looking at right now and we have

been working with customs on is, for example, custom officers are usually hired from a pool of clerical

officers that have already been in the public service. So that when they advertised, most times, the

customs officer coming in is already at age 45 by the time they try to train that person, the most they have

is about 15 years of life out of that person and sometimes these custom officers have to climb and mount

ships and they are not physically fit at the age 45 to be doing that. So we are looking at them with

changing the age, looking at the qualifications. It is a massive exercise that is why we are stressed. It is

2022, we are not looking at changing this overnight, but we are working on it. .

Mr. Chairman: And further to that, in your submission you had identified that you are supposed to be


89

in regular dialogue and collaboration with stakeholders including the Public Services Association. Have

you engaged and involved the Public Services Association in this transformation exercise that you are

embarking on? Could I also ask: are the contract officers that are employed, would they also be members

of the Public Services Association?

Mr. Madray: Before PS addresses that question, just to make a comment. In your earlier question and

to reemphasize that our current Minister took an initiative to establish a strategic HRM Council and that

council brings together all the parties to the HRM function so that service commissions the Deputy

Chairman of service commissions as well as the DPA sits on that council. So what we are really trying

to address is the whole system approach to the problem and thus there is a role for the MPA in terms of

providing support to the service commissions to the extent that it needs to.

Mr. Chairman: I did not hear PSA mentioned.

Ms. Macintyre: I thought he would have addressed it at one time, but yes we have involved them. We

have done presentations to PSA and just this week we did one with TTUTA and next week we are doing

one for the National Productivity Council. The other aspect you raised was whether the contract

employees are part of the union. That depends on the union. I have heard the PSA going out and

marketing itself for contract employees to join them. I am not sure, they would have to answer as to what

extent contract employees are taking that up.

Mr. Chairman: The reason I am asking that is that it could be argued that instructions given to public

officers that may be questionable, you are more likely to get a favourable response to carry those

instructions if the person is a contract employee because that person’s contract will be coming to an end

soon and to get a new contract he would need to make his boss happy, and a public servant who is

permanently employed does not have that stress.

Ms. Macintyre: You have gone back to the principles and the tenets of why we have a neutral public

service in keeping with our Commonwealth heritage. So, yes you are right, you are correct. No other

response to that.

Miss Hospedales: PS Macintyre, you made reference to the professional development programme. My

question really focuses on the fact that in the report submitted by GHRS, they stated that they had training

in 2009 and then resumed training in 2013. What is the reason for the gap? Why is the programme not

a sustainable programme considering that you have a number of returning scholars on a yearly basis?

11.15 a.m.


90

Ms. Macintyre: The reason for the gap came back to the same resource issue that GHRS was

experiencing and resource issues in the Ministry as well, because we do have to pay GHRS to deliver

these services, as well as we have to have staff able to coordinate with GHRS. But we do have it back

up and running, and we hope to keep it going.

Miss Hospedales: Would it be like a once a year programme, or is it going to be a continuous programme

during the course of the year?

Ms. Macintyre: It would. We expect it to be a once a year programme. The last programme we did,

we actually did two cohorts in trying to catch up and try to cover more persons.

Miss Hospedales: Can I ask; how many returning nationals are there right now in your cohort?

Ms. Macintyre: Mr. Murray, can you help us as to how many persons were trained in the last two

cohorts?

Mr. Murray: Thank you, Madam PS. In the last two cohorts in 2013 we trained a total of 56 returning

scholars; first 52 scholars, 26 persons, each cohort.

Miss Hospedales: Just one more question. How many returning nationals are there in total, currently?

Ms. Macintyre: Scholars?

Miss Hospedales: Yes, scholars. Sorry.

Ms. Macintyre: I am sorry, I do not have that figure off hand, but we think it could be about 300 per

year. Now, again it is also not mandatory for a scholar to take up the training, and I think you would find

for example in certain professions, for example medicine, they may tend not to because of the hours of

the training.

Mr. Chairman: “Yeah”, Mr. Jeffrey.

Mr. Jeffrey: Let me see if I got that right. Are you solely responsible for the recruitment of all contract

employees in the public service?

Ms. Macintyre: The Ministry of Public Administration is not. Each Ministry is responsible for the

recruitment of their contract officers, and then a Ministry can approach GHRS if they wish to assist them

in the recruitment.

Mr. Jeffrey: If they—?

Ms. Macintyre: If they wish to assist. It is not mandatory for them to go to GHRS, and in fact they

could use any other management consulting firm or their own resources.

Mr. Jeffrey: Okay.


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Mr. Chairman: Okay. The thirty returning scholars that you chose, was there any specific selection

criteria set up to identify which thirty?

Ms. Macintyre: As I said, it is open to scholars to take up or not to take up. The only ceiling might have

been our financial resources. So again, Khari, if you could help me here because I know you have been

dealing with that so you might be a little more familiar. Did we have the full complement?

Mr. Murray: Okay. Thank you, Madam PS. For the PB Programme we did not have the full

complement of returning scholars attending or participating, and this generally due to their interests in

the programme. We tried, and we are trying with the next two cohorts for 2014 to increase their

participation in the programme.

Mr. Chairman: Could I just ask? You said a Ministry can use another agency besides yourself; would

you have any idea of how many competitors does the GHRS have out there?

Dr. Ali: Chairman, I can respond to that very quickly. Six months ago we did a market survey in terms

of the competitors. In terms of hardcore recruitment—assess, fit and selection service providers in the

private sector—there are five major ones that not only provide services to private entities but also to

Government Ministries and agencies. We compared what we do and how we do it in terms of those five

top HR service providers in the private sector, and we found by far that our pricing mechanism were very,

very competitive. In one instance, one of the major players in the private sector was three times the cost

that we would charge for an executive level recruiting programme.

We have some selling points that can compete apart from price, and that is the robustness we bring to our

recruitment and selection process, and one of the reasons we are looking to roll out our direct marketing

plan is to make our service offerings more aware, and bring it to the clients in a direct level. We can also

say that GHRS has a process that is contingent on clients requesting our services and to the level that they

request our services, and those clients, as PS said, have the option to either come to us or go to a private

sector.

We believe that as we move forward in building our internal capacity, as I would have spoken to on more

than one occasion, and also the fact that we are price competitive and the fact that we are using

competency-based recruitment and selection, that we should be able to make greater inroads moving

forward with our Ministries and state enterprises in the area of recruitment and selection. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: “Yeah.” Just one follow up. I think I remember reading somewhere—is the company

expected to make a profit from its activities?


92

Dr. Ali: The company has not been mandated to operate with a profit motive, however the history of

cost versus revenue is a bit convoluted. The operations were initially set up at basic minimum level

costing. As the years went by and with rising cost and trying to grow the staff and so on, the latest state

of play at the AGM meeting in 2013, June 25, we were advised by the shareholder that GHRS needed to

do more, to not strive for profitability but to do more to offset operating cost. And on that basis a pricing

policy was prepared and reviewed in light of the market study with the competitors, and we came up with

a pricing that we found was reasonable; at the same time we are driven, year on year, to meet certain

revenue targets, but the long and short of it is GHRS is not mandated to maintain a strict profitability

motive. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: Before I ask Mr. Henry, I would just like you to provide us with a copy of that pricing

policy that you developed.

Dr. Ali: Yes, Chairman, we will do so.

Dr. Henry: Yes. In your submission again you said that 2010—2011 you recruited 300 contract

workers—that is the numbers here; 2011—2012, 440 and 2012—2013, 641. Two questions flow from

this: do you have any idea of what percentage of overall Government contract workers—those figures

represent, and, two, is that an indication of increasing business coming from the Government to you, or

is that just an indication of the fact that the number of contract workers in the general Government service

has been spiralling upwards?

Ms. Macintyre: As I indicated previously, we do not have current figures. The last time we did an

exercise to establish numbers of contract positions we got 10,000. That was contract positions in 2010.

Dr. Henry: So 300 is a very tiny bit.

Ms. Macintyre: I am being told here 10,000 positions and about 6,000 bodies in positions in 2010. That

was the figure. We do not know what it is currently.

Dr. Henry: At least, given if the figure is—whether it is 10,000 in terms of, at that level, in terms of just

positions or bodies, I mean 300 of course is a very tiny amount of that. So it seems as though the

Ministries—in my earlier exchange with you—are not really running to utilize the services of the GHRS.

I mean, that is a huge amount.

Mr. Madray: Correct. I would say, again, we do not have all the data to allow us to be fully aware, but

just remember that it is a three-year cycle, so even if there are 10,000 positions, really it would not be

that many that would have to be filled each year. And most organizations, even in the private sector,


93

would tend to use the multiphased approaches because of the amount of work that has to go into it for the

higher level positions in the organizations; the ones that they are most concerned about that they need to

dig more deeply into the full range of a potential.

Dr. Henry: Okay. I mean, I understand the clarification, you know, I am just saying that even with that

factored in it is still a relatively small amount to the numbers, all right. And I think, yes, what you are

saying makes perfect sense, but I am just saying it is still kind of shocking that the numbers are not higher.

Mr. Chairman: “Yeah.”

Mr. Small: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to follow on, on the question raised by Member

Henry. I appreciate the numbers provided that perhaps there were 6,000 bodies in positions around 2010

in contract positions, so that means when the policy that positions had to be re-advertised. Certainly

between then and now, probably at least 6,000 positions, people were informed that they—so I hope my

line of logic is correct. What I would like to ask the Permanent Secretary, is that policy still in place?

Because if that policy is still in place then it means that very position will continue to be re-advertised.

My question has two parts: is it still in place, and if it is not in place, when did it end?

Ms. Macintyre: To the best of my knowledge, it is still in place.

Mr. Small: Still in place. Interesting. I have a couple of questions to direct at Mr. Ali at GHRS, and it

has to do with your expanding your activities in 2014, and one of it has to do with—unfortunate for me

it is a pet area because I have several years’ experience in it—and it has to do with you augmenting your

service offers and your offerings, and you are introducing performance management as one of your

workshops.

I have a question because performance management has levels. You have performance management of

myself as a supervisor managing people, and then you roll that up into organizational targets and then

you have performance management at the organizational level. Several years ago the Ministry of Public

Administration did something called a ministerial performance management. I sat with several

consultants and I think my report was one of the best that was ever done from my Ministry at the time,

so I am very much au courant with performance management. And there are levels because you can have

performing—you have an organization and you have pockets of good performance, and you have pockets

of not so good performance, and what gets measured gets done. So that if you do not measure the

organization’s performance as a whole—so I trust that this is something that you would have been

collaborating with the people at public admin and recognizing that this is a gap in the civil service, in


94

understanding how does an organization, a Ministry or department perform as a whole, as apart from

individuals. So I am trying to understand: what exactly are you planning in your workshops?

Dr. Ali: Thank you. Your intervention is timely, simply because GHRS in collaboration with the

Ministry of Public Administration, we are in the process, as we speak, of developing this particular

performance management training intervention. So that we would take on board your suggestions, but it

is in the very rudimentary stage of development. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: Miss Hospedales.

Miss Hospedales: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just seeking clarity. In your report you indicated that the

organizational structure was approved by the Board of Directors, and that the staffing level would move

from 20 in 2007 to 40 in 2013. I just need to find, you know, or to gain understanding in terms of who

approves the expansion or the increase in the number of staff; is it GHRS or do you get the approval from

the Ministry of Public Administration?

11.30 a.m.

Dr. Ali: The approval to increase organization staffing for GHRS lies at the level of the board of

directors, and if there are new positions that require compensation ranges, that for 2013, as we would

have moved to create additional positions for us, the salary proposal and terms proposal would have gone

forward through the line Ministry to the ministerial committee for review and final approval of

compensation. So the short answer is in terms of approving positions for GHRS, it would be at the level

of the board.

Miss Hospedales: I saw a note where it is stated that the board of directors increased from, I believe,

seven to 11. Who gives that approval, seeing that the board approves increase in staff? Who gives the

approval for the increase in the number of board members?

Ms. Macintyre: Cabinet gives the approval for the increase in the number.

Mr. Small: Forgive me, it is me again. I want to drill down into a couple of areas, Mr. Ali.

I noted on the initial structure there was no internal audit. It did not seem that the initial plan included

any audit. I notice you have an internal auditor here, so my first question is whether or not an internal

auditor was hired. I see the smiling auditor is here. I am happy to see the auditor is smiling, because one

of my questions is—I am not sure how long the auditor has been engaged with GHRS, but I would like

to get some feedback and understand—in the auditor’s work to date and in the documents that the auditor

has reviewed, is everything as it is supposed to be with regard to compliance with the required regulations


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and laws and practices? I would like to understand from that perspective if the auditor has reported to you

any challenges or any issues?

Dr. Ali: Thank you for the question. I will start the response and I will be happy to ask Ms. Alexander

to support the response as well.

The board in 2012 recognizing that GHRS never had an internal auditor on staff took decisions to approve

the position, and in April of 2013, through a recruiting process, the internal auditor was brought in. The

internal auditor reports directly to the board and administratively to the Chief Executive Officer, so there

is that level of independence in terms of policing our processes and systems.

In terms of a macro approach to internal auditing, in consultation with myself and the audit committee,

an audit work plan was prepared, an audit charter was prepared, and there is a work plan that would speak

to auditing of petty cash, purchasing, procurement, HR procedures and all internal systems. We have had

a number of those internal audits done of our processes and systems. Those would have been tabled at

the audit committee of the board for review and deliberations, and the outputs of that committee would

then go to the board for discussion and ratification.

If you require a bit more specifics in terms of any of those particular audits, I would be happy to pass it

over to the auditor.

Mr. Small: I want to comment, because I also noted in your structure that the auditor, as is required,

reports directly to the board. Having done more than one function in my previous endeavours, having

myself been a chairman of an audit committee, I understand how important it is for the internal auditor

to be independent and be able to report directly to the board. So I want to commend the organization on

recognizing that administratively the auditor reports to the CEO, but in terms of the work that they are

performing they report only really to the board of directors. I think that is something that as an

organization which is expanding, that is moving and is trying to expand its operation, that level of

oversight, and having the proper structure in place, keeping in line with all the wonderful things that came

out of Sarbanes-Oxley and other things, I think that that is fully appropriate, and I think you should be

commended on that.

Dr. Ali: Thank you.

Miss Hospedales: Mr. Chair, I saw in their submission as well under “Procurement Procedures” the

heading “Appeals Against tendering and Contract Decisions”. Could you tell us, or provide for the

Committee, information regarding the number of appeals received during the period 2010—2013?


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Dr. Ali: Thank you for the question. Members, I have to confess, I do not have that information at my

fingertips. It is something that with your permission we can provide in writing to the Committee.

Mr. Small: Again, I am just going into the submissions. I notice in your submissions you indicated that

the company had several forms of tendering. I want to focus on the open tender, the selective and the

emergency tendering. In terms of the tenders that you have done in the past year, the past reporting

period, how many tenders were done? Is there a percentage range of how many you have done, either in

open or selective?

I want to focus on those, because what has been the history of some of the other experiences is that

selective tendering is used but, really and truly, a lot of the rationale for selective tendering is not what it

should be. So I would like to get the experience to date of GHRS with what are the numbers in your

tendering procedures—do you mostly go with open, mostly go with selective—and then I need to

understand any numbers in there.

Dr. Ali: Thank you for the question. I would say up front that the specific numbers for the various

categories of tendering would be something I would have to respond to in write at a later date, but I would

like to take the opportunity to talk about how we went about streamlining our procurement procedures.

I would have said at the start of the intervention that we are also bound by the State Enterprise

Performance Manual. The management team found in 2013 that there was need to review the existing

procurement procedures to bring them more in line with the tendering guidelines in the State Enterprise

Performance Manual. We basically took it from ground zero and developed our procurement procedures

which were subsequently tabled to the board of directors for approval. So it meant getting the principle

of our tendering in line with the state enterprise and making sure that it was approved.

That has been done, and in terms of the tendering procedures because GHRS has a very small working

budget, working capital, our tenders are primarily very small ranges. According to the State Enterprise

Performance Manual, you can do public tender, you can do selective tender, you can do sole source

tender, you can do emergency tenders. Since the inception of the team in 2013 coming on board, we have

done no emergency tenders. We have also developed through public advertising a shortlist of pre-

qualified suppliers of goods and services that we are in the final stages of getting it totally evaluated.

Once that is in place, when we have to do routine procurement, we would be going into our pre-qual data

base to do routine procurement.

Since May of this year, we have not done any public open tenders, because our projects are small. We


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expect to have one coming up in February/March which would be a tender, and that would be for an IT

consultancy to review and redesign our e-recruitment online application system.

In terms of the specific numbers that would be open, selective or emergency, other than emergency I

cannot give the figures for those other areas, but we will provide those numbers. Thank you.

Mr. Small: I have one quick question to wrap up my questioning, Mr. Chairman. I noted in your

submissions one of the things you talked about is international recruitment. Could you elaborate on the

actions of the GHRS in that area?

Dr. Ali: Yes, thank you for the question. Our mandate speaks to GHRS not just doing recruiting, but

also putting our tentacles out internationally so that we can attract, we can recruit and would facilitate the

process to recruit nationals who would have gone abroad, who would be willing to come back home. But

also to recruit overseas persons who would be willing to come back to our country and bring the

experience, wisdom and expertise.

We have recognized that international marketing of GHRS is a costly endeavour, but a necessary one. I

am happy to report to date that we have made a number of initiatives in that regard. One, we are working

closely with the British High Commission to target through their database nationals in London—in

England as a whole—who would be interested in service offerings that we have, job vacancies and so on,

and to know that GHRS is here and we are recruiting if they are interested.

We also have an e-banner that is currently being finalized that will be placed on the Commonwealth

governance website. The Commonwealth comprises of 55 member countries, and we will have an e-

banner on that website that will basically be saying, “If you are looking for public sector employment in

Trinidad and Tobago, click here”, and that opens the range for international exposure.

We have just recently received a letter from Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At our request, we have asked

that they send out to all overseas missions the role of GHRS and what we do in terms of recruiting foreign

nationals and also our locals abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have advised that they have sent

out a general circular to all overseas missions advising of same, and in the coming months we will be

looking to have our e-banner for international recruiting placed on these various websites of our overseas

missions. I think with that kind of spread and reach, and using our leverage based on the networking,

we could manage our costs but really reach a wider population target out, in terms of getting best skills,

people with international experience and exposure, to give consideration to come in to pick up jobs here

in the public service.


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Whether our packages, and packages that Ministries and state enterprises offer, are competitive enough

to entice is left to be seen. But we recognize our mandate to reach out internationally, and we are moving

in that direction.

Mr. Small: Thank you for the response, and I hope that the Permanent Secretary heard you about the

packages, because there is almost no point in doing that and trying to attract people from overseas, and

then want to pay them civil service rates in Trinidad and Tobago. That is why I asked about it. There

needs to be a connect.

Right now for me there is a disconnect. So I laud the thinking and the approach, but the efficacy—

thinking a good idea is wonderful—but if there is nothing to support it, it is dead before it starts. So I

think there needs to be some connection. Right now for me there is a disconnect, having been a member

of the civil service. Mr. Member, forgive me.

Dr. Henry: I am just about finish, but I just feel I should comment on the fact that since May 2013—I

am not sure why that date was particularly highlighted—there seemed to have been a lot of stuff done

from all the different IT security manuals, IT operation manuals, procedures and so on. What is

responsible for that, and also, this new board and management of the company, when was it put in place?

How long have you been in place?

Dr. Ali: Thank you, Sir, for the question. It is a two-part question. The first one, GHRS—to go as far

back as late 2011—did not have a substantive CEO. So there was someone that was acting in the role,

and it was only in 2013, in the month of May, that a substantive CEO was recruited. But in addition to

that, during the period April to June 2013, for the first time in a number of years, GHRS had on board a

full executive management team. That again would go back to the resources of the company in terms of

getting things done, and we very quickly recognized that there was need to deal with a number of policy

issues, a number of staffing issues, a number of internal structure issues that we would have spoken about

during the intervention so far.

In terms of the issue with the board part of it—

Mr. Munro: As it relates to questions on the board, the new board was appointed on October 14 last

year. It is approximately three months now where we are looking to see how we could strengthen the

organization in terms of where we go forward from a strategic point of view, in terms of increasing the

service offering of the institution and developing a strategic plan as we go forward.

Dr. Henry: And prior to October, what were the arrangements with the board?


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Mr. Munro: Yes, a board was in existence at that point in time. It operated with a business plan dated

from a 2012/2013 business plan. But the new board realized that a business plan is narrow in its scope

and if you are looking at being competitive internationally, we need to put in place forward-looking

policies that would drive the institution to make sure we capture the development nature of our people in

Trinidad and Tobago. In so doing, we instructed to have in place what you call a strategic plan—a three-

year strategic plan which we would be launching in March 2014 as we go forward.

Dr. Henry: So you have been Chair just for about four months now?

Mr. Munro: Approximately three months.

Dr. Henry: And the CEO for about six, seven months?

Mr. Munro: Seven, nine months.

Ms. Macintyre: I could add to that and say that there was no formal Deputy Chairman, so what was

happening previously was that at each meeting of the board a chair would have been appointed.

11.45 a.m.

Dr. Henry: The reason I asked, Mr. Munro, before you came in. I was wondering if there was an active

chairman and what was going on, in that immediate period, before your appointment? That is what—so

you were saying there was no deputy.

Ms. Macintyre: It is not deputy. There was somebody that was functioning as chairman, but let us say

for example that—my understanding was, that if she was not present at a meeting, the meeting would

decide as to who was the chair and she would not have been remunerated as chair in the period.

Dr. Henry: Okay.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. Just one little—the professional development programme that was done for 30

scholars and subsequent, have you done any surveys to see how beneficial the programme was to the

participants, the returning scholars—was it useful to them? Did you contact them, you know, so that they

can be used to assist other returning scholars in their development?

Dr. Ali: Thank you, Chairman. I would pass it to the VP, Human Capital Management, Mr. Murray, to

respond to your question, if that is acceptable.

Mr. Murray: Thanks, Dr. Ali. In terms of feedback with the returning scholars after the programme,

the programme itself is over a three-month period. So that at each point of the programme we do have

feedback from the scholars and assessors in terms of what is going to be the benefits for them, in terms

of it they getting support from their line supervisors also. At the conclusion of the three months however,


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currently we do not have a GHRS a feedback option for them.

Mr. Chairman: Maybe I might want to suggest it would be useful to do have ongoing communication

that would maybe assist other scholars. You would have examples of other people who benefited from

your programme and that may actually increase the participation of others in it.

Mr. Murray: Okay; if I may continue. I am aware that, previously, there would have been a returning

scholar’s forum which previous returning scholars who would have passed through the programme—

[Interruption]

Mr. Chairman: Right.

Mr. Murray:—also would have given such support to people coming on board in the future programmes.

I am not sure, at this point in time, if it is still functional, but I know that it was in place.

Dr. Ali: Mr. Chairman, we note your suggestion and we will certainly take it on board. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: Yes, Miss—[Interruption]

Miss Hospedales: I just needed to get clarity on the professional development programme. Are the

persons who are trained in your programme given any sort of assistance to find employment after they

have been trained?

Ms. Macintyre: The returning scholars are all—the Ministry assists in the placement of returning

scholars. The PDP programme is not designed to deal with placement; that is the Ministry’s

responsibility. The PDP is looking at helping them to progress—career wise. What are the top three

areas—career wise, they need to develop. So it is very much an ongoing coaching and mentoring

programme with respect to what they have identified as their deficiencies.

And just to add to what Mr. Murray said, the scholar forum does continue to exist. We do a lot of our

communication with scholars online, and they are, at the end of the programme, there certainly was, what

we call in training and development, a smile sheet type of feedback, in terms of the PDP, but the point is

taken that there is need for establishing, in keeping with the objectives of the programme, if it is to help

you to advance career wise, how much has the programme contributed to that.

Miss Hospedales: Mr. Chair, I just want to make reference to two things in your report you made. You

indicated that you all utilized the electronic auction, as well as the electronic procurement. Could you

just tell us how frequently this is actually done?

Dr. Ali: In 2012, there was one activity in terms of procurement that led to us using the e-auction, and it

was to purchase some computer hardware, laptops in particular. Moving forward we have the option,


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based on the state enterprise performance manual, of using the tried and tested procurement procedures

and options, including the e-auction. It is something that we will be looking to progress as we move

along.

Mr. Chairman: All right. Any other questions? Okay. Thank you. I would like to invite, well, Ms.

Macintyre and Mr. Ali—Mr. Munro, would like to make any closing statements or raise anything that we

did not raise? At the end of the day, one of the roles of this hearing is to assist the organisation in any

way that we can. So, closing comments.

Ms. Macintyre: I would just like to, again, extend the offer to come back and present to you on Gold to

Diamond, with respect, and in more detail, on the human resource management modernization plans, and

as well, the service delivery aspects of it which go back to our certification of agencies. I am sure you

will be hearing a lot more about that, probably in the media. There are some very exciting initiatives, I

feel, which augur well for the public service—integrated services, shared services—so that if we could

be afforded that opportunity, we would welcome it. Thank you very much for today though.

Dr. Ali: Mr. Chairman, and members also, I would like to convey our thanks for being given an

opportunity to present here today, but I would like to focus on one aspect before I close off and that is,

our e-recruitment database. We have seen, year on year, the number of persons lodging CVs in our e-

recruitment database, grow. So that from 23,000 in 2011 to almost 39,000 as at September 2013. What

it is signalling is, GHRS has a presence in the market, and persons that are seeking employment, turning

to us, more and more, and we have not only the challenge, but also the responsibility to rise to the

occasion, to meet and treat in terms of recruiting and assisting these persons to find employment.

Secondly, for those questions and comments that we were unable to give the specific responses to, we

will certainly respond to those in a timely manner. And finally, thank you much for giving us the

opportunity.

Mr. Munro: I too would like to express my gratitude for having us here today to share with you all on

the different questions put forward, and for the additional questions that we plan to provide for you, on a

timely basis, as we go forward. Right. Additionally, we would like to share with you all the strategic

plan of the organisation, because a strategic plan will pave—put a pathway—as to where the organisation

is going. And if given the opportunity to come back and to show you what the strategic plan for the

organisation would be, as we grow out of the business plan, and that we will like to share with you all at

a later date, if required. Thank you very much.


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Mr. Chairman: Thank you, and we will write to you, officially, to get the additional information that

was requested. I would like to thank you all for attending the meeting today. I would like to thank the

media for attending, and also the viewing and listening audience. This meeting is now adjourned.

11.53 a.m.: Meeting adjourned.


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APPENDIX IV

PRICING POLICY

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Documents

PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO … · 21/01/2015 · may not be available locally. E.g. in the field of medicine. We anticipate that the Parliament, the GHRS,