The Editor Sir:

I read with interest the story captioned 'Who's the boss?'

Examining the relationship between permanent secretaries and government ministers in The Sunday Gleaner of February 10. I also took note of your editorial in last Friday's Gleaner which discussed the role of civil servants in the 'light bulb saga'.

In the first article, Jacqueline Hinkson, secretary for the Public Service Commission, is quoted as saying that permanent secretaries "are totally responsible for the funds of Government in their portfolio. In other words, the buck stops with them". It is for this reason, in my view, why the Constitution has made it so that 'the political directorate cannot hire or fire a permanent secretary', as noted in the same article. Your above-mentioned editorial be-moaned the apparent "laxity among professional managers in the public service" in the 'light bulb saga' and noted that they seem to have adopted a "Pontius Pilate defence".

Independent civil service

All of the above shows why we need, and the Constitution provides for, an independent civil service. For, if the political directorate has veto power over senior civil service appointments, can we expect permanent secretaries to be truly 'responsible for the funds of Government in their portfolio' and can we really be surprised when civil servants adopt a 'Pontius Pilate defence'?

All of this brings to mind the recent controversy over the appointment of a new solicitor general. What has disappointed me most in this matter is well-thinking and informed persons insisting that a prime minister must have veto power over who is appointed. One member of the dismissed PSC has even suggested that he would not have supported the appointment of Professor Vasciannie if he knew that the professor had criticised Mr Golding five years ago.

These attitudes will undermine the civil service by subjugating it to the political directorate, which is quite often 'over-exuberant' whether from youth or other reasons. From this we can expect more 'light bulb sagas', 'NHC scandals', etc. It is not a matter of JLP or PNP. It is a matter of having weak systems - or having strong systems which we ourselves undermine.

I am, etc.,

HUGH P SMYTHE

hsmythe@tstt.ttWestmoorings

Trinidad & Tobago