On Monday, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced the appointment of a 36-member commission that is charged to bring social and physical renewal to inner city communities to aid in the reduction of crime. But is another commission really needed?
As with the Prison Reform Commission, the government spent time and money on information that was already known before the commission even started its work.
However, the commission went ahead with its agenda and presented the government with hundreds of recommendations, some of which if implemented, could bring about the desired changes in the various inner city areas of the country.
For the most part, government ministries already have in place trained personnel who should be able to work on the different initiatives planned by the government.
There is always talk about raising the level of productivity of public servants, so why not let them do the jobs for which the many commissions are being appointed. All that would be necessary is proper planning, coordination and meetings with team leaders.
This would save the taxpayers money and at the same time eliminate the public’s perception that commissions are yet another buffer between the government and the taxpaying public.
Editorial, The Nassau Guardian
