Senior Reporter
geisha.kowlessar@guardian.co.tt
Trade union leader Michael Annisette is cautioning against publicly criticising public sector employees, following Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s warning that underperforming workers could be fired and replaced.
His comments follows statements made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who during her contribution to the budget debate said her Government would no longer tolerate poor work ethic and low productivity among workers paid by taxpayers.
The Prime Minister warned that public sector employees who fail to perform their duties would be dismissed and replaced by people willing to work.
Responding to those comments, Annisette told Guardian Media yesterday that improving productivity requires creating an environment that empowers workers rather than publicly calling them out.
“As a leader, I wouldn’t address those issues publicly,” Annisette said adding, “The approach to build productivity and efficiency in Trinidad and Tobago is to create an environment that is conducive to productivity and efficiency.”
He argued that many public servants perform their jobs well and often go beyond the call of duty, adding that public criticism could have psychological effects on workers and generate resistance rather than improved performance.
“The approach has to be one of empowering workers and not publicly making statements that can have psychological effects,” he advised.
Annisette maintained that leadership should focus on collaboration, humility and addressing challenges across society collectively, noting that productivity concerns should be examined within a broader national context and not placed solely on workers.
“There is a need for us to really sit down collectively as a people, as stakeholders, as a society, and find a framework where we can work collaboratively, productively and effectively with a level of efficiency,” he suggested.
The veteran leader added that lawmakers have a responsibility to set an example, questioning whether conduct within Parliament always reflects the productivity and efficiency standards being demanded of workers.
He stressed that T&T already has examples of exceptional productivity, pointing to Carnival as evidence of what citizens could achieve when provided with the right environment and motivation.
Annisette said boosting productivity remains critical to economic growth and competitiveness, but argued that sustainable improvements would come through engagement, empowerment and cultural change rather than public criticism of employees.
“With all productivity and efficiency and the tools and the environment in which to be productive, we will be backward in terms of how we compete within the regional and global market,” he added.
