The Government of Saint Lucia has initiated a comprehensive reclassification of the public service, aiming to modernise recruitment standards, align job roles with required skills and address long-standing concerns over fairness in promotions, particularly within the police, fire and correctional services.
Minister for the Public Service Virginia Albert-Poyotte confirmed that the initiative is a top government priority. Speaking at the pre-Cabinet press briefing, she acknowledged that the current classification system, implemented in 1992, is outdated and fails to meet the evolving demands of today’s workforce.
“You have a lot of areas where you appoint workers, but it does not really equate to the right skills, knowledge, abilities, and experience,” she explained.
“In this modern time, there are a lot of people who would apply for a job, and then they would ask you whether you have knowledge in certain areas of IT. That would not have been in the requirements for the job for 30-something years ago.”
Albert-Poyotte stressed that the reclassification would prioritise a holistic assessment of qualifications, moving beyond academic credentials alone. Having a degree doesn’t automatically qualify someone for a role if they lack the practical skills, experience, or ability to perform the duties effectively, she said.
A key focus of the reform will be reevaluating the classification and compensation of protective and essential services, including the police, fire service and Bordelais Correctional Facility.
With guidance from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the government now recognises fire officers as part of an “essential service” rather than the “protective services,” a shift that affects their categorisation and pay scales.
“We want to determine what grades they fall in, what salaries they should be paid based on the nature of the work that they do. We cannot equate them like any other public officer,” she said.
The minister also responded to concerns raised by the Fire Service Association regarding alleged favouritism and lack of transparency in promotions.
While some promotions fall under the discretion of department heads, such as the police commissioner or fire chief, those beyond certain grades require review by the Public Service Commission.
Albert-Poyotte noted persistent concerns within protective services about promotion practices, with long-standing rumours of favouritism. As a result, the government is considering a formal investigation.
“Once the fire service is serious about it, we may have to carry an investigation to see if what they are saying is really true, because we want transparency, fairness in the promotion of officers,” the public service minister said.