Who'll be in charge of the Public Service?

The job description itself reinforces that belief in several ways. The key task is to ‘quickly establish a clear vision and direction for the organisation’ while stripping the post of a chief executive’s power and authority, plus reinforcing who’s really in charge. That vision and direction, Chief Minister Peter Ferbrache says in his introduction, needs also to incorporate individual and collective accountabilities ‘within our politically-led environment’.

The message to the incoming public service head could not be clearer – don’t think you’re in charge – we are. It was that same politically-led environment that saw the dismissal of then CEO Paul Whitfield nearly a year ago. ‘The committee recognised the need for a change in senior leadership and have taken action to bring this about,’ Deputy Ferbrache said at the time, and islanders still do not know what that ‘action’ has cost them in compensation.

More immediately, there are also questions about the time taken to advertise this post – and the short deadline for applicants. The closing date is Friday while a more normal timescale would be four working weeks from publication.

The supporting material is pitched at off-island candidates, but the tight deadline has sparked speculation that P&R favours an on-island individual, despite the offer of ‘a generous relocation package’.

One of the reforming tasks required – and perhaps best tackled by an external head – is an exhortation to 'challenge established practices' to allow 'efficient management of resources'.

The problem there is past studies have seen officers identify modernisation opportunities and cost savings, but these have been blocked by political committees themselves for questionable reasons.

Given the chief minister’s reminder about who’s really in charge and the States' own governance issues, securing the changes Guernsey needs is starting to look more like Mission Impossible.