The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MoFPS) hosted the 2021 Civil Service Week Public Forum at The Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 as part of the Civil Service Week of activities. Speakers presented and discussed the digital transformation of the Public Sector and the Public-Private partnerships in technology.
This year’s forum was hosted under the theme, “The Public Sector: Anchoring Technology for Sustainable Growth and Efficiency” and was streamed live to the public through the MoFPS website, MoFPS social media platforms and JIS social media platforms.
Keynote speaker at the event, State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, the Hon. Marsha Smith noted, “Covid-19 has caused us to accelerate the integration of technology into our working lives and in a way, pushed us to find enhanced ways to continue to deliver public services to Jamaicans.” She further added, “As a country, specifically as a public sector, we must make better use of technology and specifically, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).”
Director of Technology in the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology (MSET), Gary Campbell said, “The pandemic has certainly fast tracked some of the things we (Government) already had in mind. Things like promoting working from home and remote access to different services. So with the onset of the pandemic we now find that ICT systems have become more relevant and even those who were reluctant, find themselves now embracing the technology because of its usefulness in terms of what is happening with Covid-19.” He further added, “The introduction of ICT systems in Government should be embraced since we know that these systems are enablers of efficient provision of public services.”
Also speaking at the forum, Managing Director, Total Credit Services, Lowenfield Alleyne spoke to the BPO sector being the ‘life vest’ for the country’s economy during the pandemic. He noted that, “Since the advent of the pandemic, we have seen a 15% growth in jobs. We moved from 38,400 to 44,000 in just one year. We have contributed over three quarters of a billion dollars to the economy in that same period.”
In recognition of Civil Service Week, several commemorative activities are being hosted throughout the week. The activities commenced on Sunday, November 21, 2021 with a church service which was held at the Boulevard United Church in Kingston. Other activities for the week include the Jamaica Civil Service Long Service Awards on November 24, Civil Service of the Year Award and Zoom Party on November 26, and Seventh Day Adventists Churches island-wide services on November 27.
Civil Service Week was established in 1992, under the auspices of the Jamaica Civil Service Association and via a proclamation by then Governor General, the Most Honourable Sir Howard Cooke. This year Civil Service Week is being celebrated during the week of November 21-27. The celebration is geared toward highlighting the worth and work of Civil Servants who have given excellent service to Central Government and to the country on a whole.
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For further information contact:
Corporate Communication & Public Relations Branch
Ministry of Finance and the Public Service
30 National Heroes Circle
Kingston 4
Tel: (876) 932-4656/4660/4655
Email: Shelly-Ann.Weeks@mof.gov.jm; Shakiel.Rochester-Shorter@mof.gov.jm
Contact: Shelly-Ann Weeks/Shakiel Rochester Shorter
