Secretaries push for suspension of new scheme
Mpho Mokwape | Thursday October 20, 2016 15:31
The secretaries appeared before court last Friday for a status hearing of the case following government’s refusal to suspend the scheme until further consultation is conducted.
The employees who attended court in numbers have taken their employer, the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) to task, seeking a judicial review on the status of their employment and that the scheme be suspended until a review and consultation are done.
Their main contention is that the scheme was introduced without consultation and that it was a breach of the existing conditions of service.
They want judicial review on grounds that the CBCP was applied inconsistently and arbitrarily in that it favoured the minority and it was applied retroactively to existing employees without any negotiations with trade unions.
At the heart of the matter is that the secretaries are dissatisfied with the new scheme of regime, Competency Based Career Path (CBCP) implemented through various directives.
According to papers before court, the secretaries want the scheme to be suspended until proper consultation is done and agreed upon.
In the founding affidavit of Onkgopotse Ntatane on behalf of 376 applicants said the scheme since its introduction has disadvantaged many workers therefore it should be reviewed.
She explained that since the directive was issued on January 21, 2015 by DPSM about the scheme there has been confusion within the ministries as some people qualified for posts they did not fight for.
Ntatane explained that since the implementation of the scheme that was meant to provide a clear defined and rewarding career for secretarial and executive management cadre people have been disadvantaged.
“Our toil, loyalty and service have been overlooked and downgraded, when the new conditions of service were applied because academic requirements and competencies were never the bed rock of government policy or the basis of secretaries’ aspiration for advancement for a decade,” she said.
Among the many other issues before court, Ntatane said the directive had allowed officers within the departments and ministries to be upgraded and promoted to higher positions leading to higher salaries.
“The DPSM’s decisions affect our career path, our progression has varied our terms and conditions of employment by altering conditions of promotion, the citation for assessing our competence and even our job profiles,” she said.
She also maintained that the introduction of the new academic requirement, and proficiency ratings and competences thwart the anticipation and advancement previously accepted as valid visa, outstanding performance, ability and merit.
However, in response to the appearance of the parties Gaborone High Court judge, Singh Walia advised the parties to map a way forward and settle their differences outside court.
Walia strongly advised the parties to open dialogue and try to settle the matter amicably instead of by litigation.
He spoke strongly against the large number of employees leaving their jobs to attend a matter that could have been easily solved through dialogue.
“It is not a pretty sight that over 300 employees are here in court today over a simple matter that should have been long solved. This matter is very small and simple, it should be settled without any litigation,” he said.
He, however, maintained that should there be problems in talking and coming to an agreement, the case will continue before court on the December 7, 2016.