Dear Sir:

I was pleased that PM Baldwin Spencer recently took responsibility for the leadership mistakes of his administration. This is a good sign that the government is not intractable. There is however, legitimate fear, angst and suspicion (especially during this season of tough economic stress) that the PM‘s announcement may amount to confessing without correcting. If this is the case, the threshold of accountability would be lowered to nightmarish status, which is synonymous to throwing the pigeons to the cat.

But assuming that the PM’s acknowledgment of errors is intended to create a new strategic environment for operating more efficiently, principles of transparency tied to accountability would engender the following steps:

· Identify the source of the errors, both individualized and organizational

· Ask line ministers to do an introspective audit to determine whether they and or their front-line administrators/managers are setting the right expectations for subordinates, are selecting the right talent to do the job, and are defining the right outcomes in ways that develop and affirm their employees

· Establish corrective measures and preventative mechanisms to ensure superlative outcomes and motivate employees to embody excellence

· Re-train those directly responsible for costly mistakes or transfer them to positions that fit their competencies or fire/retire them and clear the way for new talent

These follow-through action steps will sent a clear signal that the PM is doing more than recognizing wrongs; he is instead communicating a new vision of a timely beginning, and providing a guide for sustainable effectiveness. It is important that the PM regains the trust of his leadership team while demanding that they perform above the call of duty.

From this vantage point, the PM’s apology offers a clearer perspective on the way forward without promising overnight miracles.

Dr Isaac Newton