Bahamian Culture

Public Sector Reform: Principles and Perspectives and A Comparative Overview of Public Sector Reform in the United States and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas

By
Donald M. McCartney, M.P.A., MSc.Ed. (Hons.), B.A., T.C.

Dedication

This study is dedicated to all public servants of goodwill, who serve the public with pride, dignity, integrity, courtesy and are commitment to the support of the principles and perspectives of public sector reform.

Contents

Introduction (4-5)

Traditional assumptions that underpin public sector reform (5-10)

Scope of this paper (10-11)

The need for public sector reform (11)

Politics and public sector reform (12)

Factors which impact the speed and variation of public sector reform (12)

Political leadership and public sector reform (13-15)

What is public sector reform? (15-16)

What is government and why does it exist? (16-18)

What does the public sector do? (18-22)

Public sector reform in the United States (22-32)

Public sector reform in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (32-46)

General conclusion (47-51)

Works cited (52-54)

Appendix (55)

Public Sector Reform: Principles and Perspectives and A Comparative Overview of Public Sector Reform in the United States and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Introduction While this paper will not focus on an analysis of public sector reform, it will present principles and perspectives that impact upon public sector reform. This paper will also focus on a comparative overview of public service reform in the United States of America, and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It should be noted that this paper will not attempt to analyze the efforts at public sector reform in these jurisdictions. In this paper, the terms public

Cited: ----------------------- [1] Excerpted from a speech delivered by the Prime Minister at a Public Sector Reform Forum for Senior Public Officers, Executives of Unions and Staff Associations on Friday, 28 Oct., 2004. [2] Excerpted from a speech delivered by Kingsley L. Black, President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers at a Public Sector Reform Forum for Senior Public Officers, Executives of Unions, and Staff Associations on Friday, 28 Oct., 2004. [3] Excerpted from a speech delivered by Roosevelt Finlayson who served as Forum Facilitator at a Public Sector Reform Forum for Senior Public Officers, Executives of Unions, and Staff Associations on Friday, 28 Oct., 2004. [12] Excerpted from an address delivered by Mr. Kingsley L. Black, President, Bahamas Union of Teachers on Friday, 28 Oct. 2004 at a Public Sector Forum for Senior Public Officers, Executives of Unions and Staff Associations. [13] Excerpted from an address delivered by the Honourable Fred Mitchell MP, Minister for the Public Service on Friday, 28 Oct. 2004 at a Public Sector Forum for Senior Public Officers, Executives of Unions and Staff Associations.