~Complaints officer to be placed at Dept~
PHILIPSBURG--"Shape up or ship out." This was the firm message Labour and Social Affairs Minister Cornelius de Weever sent to workers at the Labour and Social Affairs Department on Wednesday.
De Weever expressed his frustration with the pace of service being provided to the public despite his efforts to have service improved. "I have tried to encourage the civil servants about change and I have even given directions to assist the elderly, the mentally and the physically challenged, but it appears as though clients are still not getting the service they need and deserve [despite ed.] all of our attempts to ensure that these groups stay on medical or financial assistance," de Weever told reporters at Wednesday's Council of Ministers press briefing.
"My office [staff ed.] and others are being stopped everyday and asked about persons and their family member not getting the assistance from this department. My only advice that I can give now is shape up or ship out."
De Weever said he made a surprise visit to the department on Wednesday to convey this message to the department head.
"The people of St. Maarten deserve better. Those who have paid into our system and those who need the special services should not have to face inefficiency and lack of initiative on their part. My cabinet and I have been going the extra mile to assist those who need it because this department, or many of them, sit behind desks and do not take the initiative to help or even pick up the phone to make things happen.
"This can no longer continue. I have asked all departments and this one in particular to help everyone as they would try and help a family member or friend and I am extremely disappointed. I will not stop until this department and the services they provide are up to par," the minister said.
Complaints officer
De Weever said a customer service agent/complaints officer will be placed at this department to ensure that clients "are taken care of.
"Our intention is to not play games with our elderly, mentally or physically challenged because they are the ones who deserve more and those are the ones who will be hurt in the long run," said de Weever.
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