GREAT BAY--More than a year after Ombudsman Gwendolien Mossel issued a formal Letter of Concern to the Minister of General Affairs regarding the functioning of the Personnel and Organization Department, P&O, human resources cases across several ministries remain open and the concerns identified by the Ombudsman are ongoing.
The letter, issued on July 3, 2025, focused on P&O’s role in facilitating personnel matters throughout government and followed findings of prolonged delays, administrative bottlenecks, unclear decision-making authority, limited capacity and high staff turnover. The Ombudsman warned that these weaknesses have affected the livelihoods, legal security and morale of civil servants, while undermining confidence in the public administration.
Although the Ministry of General Affairs recorded no formal complaints directly against it in 2025, the Ombudsman said that figure did not reflect the full extent of P&O’s involvement in cases filed through other ministries. The Bureau recorded nine Information Window contacts and eight formal human resources complaints, bringing the total number of HR-related matters to 17.
The Bureau recorded nine Information Window contacts and eight formal human resources complaints during the year, bringing the total number of HR-related matters to 17. Civil servants generally submit complaints through the ministry where they work, while P&O serves as the central support section responsible for assisting ministries with personnel matters.
The Ombudsman reported significant delays in the handling of these cases and raised serious questions about P&O’s ability to cooperate with ministries and function as an expert facilitator of the government’s human resources process.
P&O has a central responsibility to ensure that the legal status and employment rights of civil servants are properly established and protected. According to the report, failures within the system have directly affected the livelihoods, legal security and morale of government workers.
The Ombudsman identified a disturbing pattern of delays, unclear procedures and administrative blockages that have placed civil servants in vulnerable positions and weakened confidence in the public administration. Several HR-related cases across ministries remained unresolved at the end of the reporting period.
A Letter of Concern is used sparingly by the Ombudsman when serious questions arise about compliance with the standards of good governance. The report stressed that ministers have a responsibility to respond fully and ensure that the concerns raised are properly addressed.
One of the primary weaknesses identified was the lack of clarity over the respective responsibilities of P&O and individual ministries. The Ombudsman found that officials did not always have a shared understanding of which entity had final decision-making authority, contributing to delays and leaving personnel matters unresolved.
The consequences were particularly evident in a case involving allegations of sexual harassment. The absence of a government sexual harassment policy, combined with uncertainty over who had the authority to decide the matter, prevented a proper determination of the allegations.
The Ombudsman described the situation as unacceptable and deeply concerning, pointing to the case as evidence of the wider consequences that can result when government lacks clear policies, procedures and lines of responsibility.
Capacity shortages and high turnover within P&O were also identified as factors affecting its ability to serve ministries and civil servants. The report questioned the manner in which personnel policies, including the use of the aanloopschaal salary placement system, are being implemented.
According to the Ombudsman, placement in the aanloopschaal appears to have become the norm rather than the exception. Civil servants who satisfy the conditions for advancement are not always transferred to the correct salary scale and remain dependent on action from both P&O and their respective ministry to complete the process.
The Ombudsman called for a clear and fair internal complaint-handling system that gives proper consideration to the interests of employees as well as those of the government organization.
The report emphasized that civil servants form the backbone of the government apparatus and play an essential role in maintaining public administration. However, the Ombudsman observed a workforce that had become seriously demotivated and disenchanted.
Addressing the weaknesses within P&O will require clearly defined responsibilities, timely decisions, increased capacity, consistent application of personnel policies and procedures that protect the legal rights of civil servants.
The findings place responsibility on the government to strengthen its human resources system, resolve longstanding cases and restore confidence among employees whose work is essential to the daily functioning of St. Maarten.
