NDP Manifesto 2019

Transparency and Accountability
A re-elected NDP Government shall deliver on initiatives that will provide greater accountability and transparency including:
• Advancing Freedom of Information legislation.
• Implementing a Ministerial Code of Conduct.
• Exploring how best to implement Integrity Legislation.
• Full adherence to and enforcement of the Declaration and
Registration of Interests.
• Continuing to publish relevant Cabinet Decisions.
• Enhancing registration of major contracts and agreements.
• Continuing on the great progress made in presenting Audited
Accounts (up to the year 2015) to the House of Assembly for
approval and ensuring that they are presented more timely in
the future.
Government Operations and the Public Service
The impact of the 2017 natural disaster events caused significant disruption to government operations, detracting from incremental
improvements over the past several years. The Governance Action Plan of a re-elected NDP Government shall include reforms to deliver
greater continuity in the event of future disasters as well as greater efficiency and improvements in the provision of government services.
To this end, a re-elected NDP shall continue to pursue its public sector transformation agenda with a focus, among other things, on:
• Redesigning the public service by merging some critical services
to create greater efficiencies, critically assessing the needs of
the public, assigning the right resources to meet those demands
and building capacity where there may be gaps.
• Committing greater funding and resources to training and
re-training of the public service to deliver world-class public
services.
• Implementing the automation of government services
(E-government Initiative), including application and processing
of permits and licenses and collection of fees and taxes.
• Greening the public services, including reducing the use of paper
files, by digitizing government documents.
• Implementing a performance monitoring framework for statutory
bodies and ensuring that they are aligned to the overall goals of
their portfolio ministry.
• Formalizing and encouraging public/private collaborations for
services and initiatives that are best served by significant private
sector input or support.
• Fast tracking pilot E-government initiatives that focus on
services that are critical to Sister Islands residents, such as
paying fees and taxes and applying for licenses and permits, in
order to minimize the need for travel to Tortola.
• Accelerating the rebuilding of the Central Administration
Complex and other government buildings to ensure a productive,
fit and safe working environment.
• Instituting a programme that rewards persons for creating
efficiencies and savings in government operations.
• Introducing the already drafted “Public Service Management
Act” that speaks to a modern public service and seeks to:
Establish a high performing apolitical service that is
responsive to Government priorities.
Focus on the delivery of services in a professional and nonpartisan
way.
Promote the effectiveness and efficiency of government
ministries and departments.
Provide for the administration of service and the employment
and management of officers and employees;
Provide for the rights and obligations of officers and
employees.
Promote equality of employment opportunity in the service.
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NDP 2019