The Establishment Division develops, implements and reviews human resource management policies designed to achieve the effective delivery of service by the Public Sector.

The Division is committed to the following objectives:

• ensuring that organizational structures, systems and job classifications meet the standards of economy and best practices;
• monitoring and control of staff establishments;
• provision of humane and cost effective conditions of service and benefits schemes;
• maintenance of a stable industrial relations climate;
• consistency and objectivity in the administration of personnel standards and regulations;
• rational pay policies and an accurately defined wages bill;
• acceptable standard in the quality of service delivered to clients;
• proper regulation of superannuation plans.

The Government is committed to good employment practices. These are of paramount importance as the Public Sector is the largest single employer of labour in Jamaica. The Division therefore aims to promote exemplary personnel policies.

Various aspects of the human resource management functions are administered by the Ministry of Finance and Planning, the Office of the Cabinet and the Offices of the Services Commission.

Subject areas of the Establishment Division of the Ministry of Finance and Planning are Superannuation, Conditions of Service, Industrial Relations, Establishment Control, Organizational Reviews and Pay Policy. The Office of the Cabinet has responsibility for public sector modernisation, customer service improvement and training. The Office of the Services Commissions is responsible for staffing, staff development, discipline and separation.

There is a major and continuing thrust to reform and modernise the customs and practices of the public service. In this regard, the Staff Orders for the public service are being reviewed. Important elements such as leave and the definition and determination of pay are to be addressed in the face of current realities and trends.

During the FY 2000/01, the path of wage restraint will continue to be pursued. In particular the following strategies will be adopted:

• a moratorium on increases on certain high level pay packages. The present cap is $3 million and is subject to review;
• the containment of the proliferation of allowances and perquisites. In this regard, roll back, freezing and consolidation into salaries will be proposed.
• the minimization of bargaining units and the expeditious conclusion of wage negotiations will be encouraged.

In all of this, the Permanent Salaries Review Board, established to make recommendations on wage claims, will have a critical role to play.

It is of vital importance that the wages bill fits within the fiscal and macroeconomic parameters of the low inflation model that is being pursued by the Government. In keeping with these imperatives, low, single digit pay increases will continue to be the modus operandi over the medium term.

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