Archive for March 18th, 2011
Immigration cuts wait times in half with technology
(CNS): Average waiting times at the immigration department have been halved as a result of a number of changes, officials said on Thursday. The recent series of public meetings as well as the collection of feedback from staff and customers has led to a number of improvements in the service, according to the department, which is one of the busiest government offices. During 2010 almost 23,000 work permits were processed and the counter handled more than 89,500 transactions at the Elgin Avenue office, Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans said. “While the average waiting time in February 2010 was 30 minutes, that time has been halved,” Evans stated.
“We also have a new desk that fast-tracks our corporate and business clientele by handling their large-volume transactions by appointment,” she said.
Following a concerted effort to review and enhance internal operations, the department has implemented several customer service-enhancing measures. Increased use of technology has speeded up transactions and along with additional counter officers, the new automated client check-in system queues have been reduced.
A new “Q-matic” machine has been introduced, which issues tickets directly to customers, simplifying the process. Walk-in customers now follow simple on-screen prompts, enabling the machine to issue need-based counter tickets. The “Q-Matic” machine also facilitates the measurement of staff performance and enhances management’s overview of the department. The machine produces statistics on particular transactions, and allows supervisors to rotate staff to utilize resources more efficiently and reduce waiting time.
One of the new stations caters to corporate applicants submitting more than three applications or transactions. Larger companies and agencies can process multiple applications, yet avoid delaying other front-counter clients.
“This improved service practice evolved after consultation with corporate stakeholders. They were most receptive,” Evans said. “To date we have 20 regular business clients and we are seeking to expand that number.”
Chief officer in the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, and the former chief immigration officer, Franz Manderson, said he was delighted that the department continues to challenge itself to raise customer service to higher levels. “I look forward to even more positive results,” Manderson stated.
Bush denies accounts liability
(CNS): Following comments made by the former chair of the Public Accounts Committee to CNS last week that it was down to the minister of finance to ensure government ‘s financial statements were delivered in accordance with the law, the premier has denied being responsible. McKeeva Bush said that the claims by Ezzard Miller were inaccurate as the premier did not have any power over civil servants. He said that the attorney general had advised that the finance minister had the power to instigate legal proceedings against those who have failed to submit documents under the Public Management and Finance Law but he did not have the power to make the COS and the CFOs comply.
“I nor any other minister of government do not have administrative control over the civil service,” (sic) he said in a statement delivered to the Legislative Assembly when it met on Thursday morning. “Under the decentralised accounting system and the decentralised human resource system that operate in government, chief officers and chief financial officers do not report to the premier nor the minister of finance.”
Bush said the chief financial officers report to their chief officers and chief officers report to the deputy governor so, he said, it was not possible for the minister of finance to ensure compliance with the PMFL.
Although in a position to do so, the premier said he was not in the “business of bringing proceedings” against chief officers. “Human beings generally do not perform well in an environment of fear,” Bush added, stating that his government believed in encouraging civil servants rather than “tactics of intimidation” and would be making changes to the PMFL instead. After quoting Shakespeare, the premier said government would not slay civil servants but would make the PMFL easier to use.
“If the member from North Side is of the frame of mind of prosecuting civil servants, I have more constructive and much less destructive work to do,” Bush stated.
He went on to deny suggestions by Miller that his government didn’t care about accountability of government accounts. He said that “sterling efforts” had been made by the present government to enhance the public sector’s accountability to the country. He boasted of 70 annual reports being tabled since they were elected to office but failed to point out that only four of those were for 2010 and only a handful had been in compliance with the law.
Bush said that Keith Luck, the consultant from the FCO who was reviewing the PMFL, had completed his work and his report was being finalized. That together with the information he had from his visit to Jersey would pave the way for better management of public finances. The premier announced that he intended to move towards a centralised accounting and human resource function and away from the current decentralised model.
“I am absolutely convinced that the difficulty the Public Service is experiencing with meeting the full requirements of the PMFL stems from the fact that the regime was too sophisticated and complex for the size of the public service that exists in the Cayman Islands,” the premier stated. He compared the situation to having a Ferrari when it was a Honda Civic that was needed.
Bush went on to further criticise the article on CNS entitled ‘Miller packs in PAC’, saying he found Miller’s comments particularly offensive when he had suggested government may be trying to avoid accountability.
“There are too many games being played by the member who is only gearing up to introducing his own team or party – call it what you may – but these games being played, which are said to be for the people, are not doing the country any good and only goes against our real national interest,” Bush told his legislative colleagues. “I don’t know of any politician in recent years who has gone through the fire and discouragement as I have had to bear for love of country since 1988 and McKeeva didn’t and will not quit. I have no time for the political games.”
Despite the premier’s claims that government was committed to getting the accounts up to date, he revealed that government would not be addressing the problem of the now chairless Public Accounts Committee until May when the House met for its Budget sitting.