Bahamians are tired of the political charade that seeks to bypass and diminish the value of sensible hard-working civil servants. One only needs to look to the increasing concentration of projects under the direct supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister to understand the deliberate cherry-picking of data to generate a desired outcome.

Rather than rely on the integrity of the civil service, the Office of the Prime Minister seeks to filter the dissemination of information to achieve political accolade. This intense consolidation of control within the Office of the Prime Minister blocks criticism allowing for a carte blanche of power to implement ill-fated policies.

Take for instance National Health Insurance. The prime minister has no intention of stakeholder consultation. The government will implement a policy with an unverified cost that may destabilize the country. The prime minister knows nothing of healthcare, yet he champions that it will succeed under his leadership.

Where is the participation of the Ministry of Health? Where is the participation of the insurance industry? How can we continue to discuss National Health Insurance when its true cost has not been settled or verified? The only reason the public knows anything about National Health Insurance is because the reports were obtained by the media.

Alarmingly, this government relies solely on those it appointed, or "consultants" hired, leaving the engine of its existence, the public service, running on empty. Despite threats of disciplinary action via the Official Secrets Act, civil servants should not remain passive observers when politics infringes on reporting a wrong.

How many reports indicate non-compliance by "selected" contractors or consultants? And how many times does a public servant see the value of his or her input reduced to nothing? How many times has computer or laboratory equipment been stolen or tampered with? Without an ombudsman, who can the public service turn to in order to launch an investigation without fear of reprisal? No one.

Take the recent Department of Meteorology scandal. We hardly believe that a log noting that the radar was down at times during Hurricane Joaquin constitutes an issue of secrecy. Is it embarrassing to the ministry? Absolutely. But to keep the equipment malfunction a secret rather than stating that an investigation will take place and the equipment repaired or upgraded is a testament to the overexertion of control by this government to manipulate public perception. The leader of this country sits in a beautifully renovated air-conditioned building while his workers toil in conditions he cares not to visit or to fix.

By wielding power to eliminate internal opposition through coercion of public servants, the government controls and thus manipulates the flow of information.

Public Service Week was merely a public relations stunt to placate government employees with a disingenuous display of appreciation. Just maybe if politicians stopped caring so much about their image and instead focused efforts on the betterment of the country, the civil service would be able to better serve the people. But eroding the public's trust in the civil service is a detriment to every honest and hard-working government employee.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian