Practically every job in the public service requires some sort of academic qualification and/or experience in the related field.Forgive my ridiculous examples but in this country or any country for that matter, you wouldn't find engineers performing operations in hospitals, or a lawyer designing a bridge, unless of course they happen to be qualified in those disciplines also.This brings me to the point that for far too long the citizens of T&T have had to accept ministers in Cabinet who are not qualified in the least to manage or run competently, the ministries they have been put in charge of.
Yes, one may argue that there are permanent secretaries and advisers to the different ministers who could guide them along as they "stutter" through execution of their duties.Notwithstanding their main function is to implement the various policies of the governing party in power, it is a slap in the face to those citizens who have sacrificed long hours pursuing academic excellence with the hope of attaining a job suited to his or her qualifications.The gullibility of John Public allows the fa�ade of jacket and tie to equate ministers with demigods having super human intelligence.
Nothing is further from the truth. The average citizen who functions in society more easily sees solutions to problems facing this country than an appointed minister who lacks experience or "correct" qualifications in areas where they know far less than the workers under their charge!With the age of Google, policies which have been adopted appear to have been copied wholesale from other countries without thought, tweaking or any sort of planning for the future. Alas, if only politicians would listen to advice from John and Jane Public.
Andy Jangeesingh,
via e-mail