The Government of Montserrat is looking to strengthen confidentiality within the public service.
This follows concerns over the unauthorized release of information, including details of recruitment processes.
Premier the Honourable Reuben T. Meade, speaking on the “What’s on Your Mind” radio programme stated: “That’s a matter which I have to discuss with the deputy governor in relation to confidentiality.”
The Deputy Governor has delegated responsibility for the public service.
Premier Meade acknowledged that confidentiality breaches are not confined to central government, pointing to a recent recruitment at the Montserrat Arts Council (MAC): “And it’s not only in government. The same thing happened in MAC, where due process was followed.
He also defended the integrity of the recruitment process within the public services.
“I did not even know who the applicants were until I read it on social media. And then all of a sudden, oh, we did not follow due process, etc., etc. They are obliged to follow due process.”
“The things which you need to fill out in the application, you did not fill them out, then your application becomes null and void. So let us not believe that because I was this or I was that, that you should just select me based on my name. It has to go through a transparent process, so that when the board comes to me and says, this is the person that was selected, I would know that they went through a transparent process, and I can then take it to cabinet. It’s all about transparency. And when we do all financial risk assessments and other assessments, these are things which those international companies come in and look at.
Premier Meade further that the FCDO “does the same thing in relation to monitoring what we do in spending government’s money.
“Remembering that 67 cents on every dollar that we spend comes from the FCDO. So we have to follow their rules. We can’t break their rules because that will mean it jeopardizes not only the relationship, but the funding that we have fought so hard to obtain from them.”