Policies approved by government are failing to reach residents in a timely manner, First District Representative Dr Karl Dawson told the House of Assembly, pointing to a disconnect between political decisions and their execution through the civil service.
Dawson identified a substantial lag between what government chooses to do and when the public service actually carries it out, even with involvement from the Governor's and Deputy Governor's offices. He flagged bureaucracy, human resources and customer service as problem areas needing reform.
"It does not serve any good purpose when conscious decisions are taken as to what should be done as far as the territory is concerned, but it's so long, if at all, those things are actually implemented," Dawson said.
The representative noted that the government is tackling the issue through two paths: policy adjustments and a constitutional review process.
Similar frustrations surfaced at a Ninth District public meeting in Virgin Gorda last month, where a resident complained that some public officers were blocking government programmes and acting as if they held more authority than ministers. That resident also raised concerns about delays in accessing basic services.
The territory is working with the United Kingdom to shift control of the public service away from the Governor through constitutional reform. Questions have emerged about whether such a change could expose civil servants to political retaliation.
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio Wheatley has previously stated that officials should be judged on whether they deliver government policy and perform their duties, not on their political views. He has backed measures against those who deliberately block initiatives while opposing any targeting based on political preference.
Dawson urged a unified push to strengthen how services reach people and lift living standards to a level residents would find acceptable.
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