Unfilled vacancies affecting Region One administration
REGION One (Barima/Waini) has a number of unfilled Public Service vacancies, which, to date, are affecting the Administration, Moruca Vice-Toshoa, Ms. Genevieve Rufino disclosed. Noting that the need is urgent, said, among the vacant positions are medical officers, an education officer, a community health worker, a rehabilitation officer, a learning resource coordinator and a schools’ welfare officer.
Rufino told the Guyana Chronicle that the last, as well as a public social security officer will see the needs of the 24,000 population being addressed.
More particularly, she emphasised that matters such as incidents of sexual abuse, which fall under the jurisdiction of those officers, will be dealt with in a manner to leave complainants satisfied.
“We had a sexual abuse case the other day, where a girl just over five years of age was assaulted by her grandfather. The matter was brought to our attention and we did what we could but nothing came out of the complaint. The man left the area,” Rufino lamented.
According to her, reports of that sort are made to the Village Office but there is a limit to what can be done at that level.
“If we have the right people who have the knowhow, then we can offer some amount of security and better life,” Rufino said.
The Region is divided into three Sub-Regions, Matthew’s Ridge/Kaituma, Mabaruma and Moruca.
In an invited comment, the Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO), Mr. Nigel Fisher acknowledged the need to fill, expressly what he described as critical positions.
He said it is not because of a lack of advertising the vacancies but the responses are poor and, sometimes, the applicants do not meet the criteria.
The DREO said he does not know if applications are being processed, because they are made directly to the Public Service Ministry.
“What we would do is conduct interviews if the Public Service Ministry asks us to but, most times they, themselves, come to do them,” he explained.
Fisher added that, at the regional level, efforts are made to encourage locals to apply for the vacant posts and serve their community.
“Meantime, we are working with what resources we have,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents of Santa Rosa, in Moruca, who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle agree that if the openings are filled, they would see improved delivery of services in Region One.