Bunting needs to stay the course

Robert Wynter, Contributor

At the 13th annual prayer and thanksgiving service for the security forces at the Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, National Security Minister Peter Bunting was quoted as follows:  "I am convinced that the best efforts of the security forces by itself will not solve the crime problem in Jamaica, but it is going to take divine intervention, touching the hearts of a wide cross section of the society. I am not embarrassed to say that right now as minister of national security, I am going through a kind of a dark night of the soul.

"We are trying very hard as a ministry; I see the men and women of the security forces trying very hard, I see the leadership both of the police and the military working hard and so much effort is being made and yet so little headway, such slow headway is coming out in the statistics."

The responses were many and swift. Several persons called for the head of the national security minister. One financial analyst suggested that the prime minister shuffle the Cabinet, placing Bunting at Finance and Peter Phillips at National Security.

By Monday afternoon, Peter Bunting declared, "My statement was in no way intended to signal any position of retreat, but rather an affirmation of the contribution of a faith-based belief system shared by a majority of Jamaicans."

The question in my mind is what drove the usually confident minister to seemingly give up hope. After all, only a few months ago he reported impressive 2012 success for his portfolio.

Significant progress

In response to an opinion piece titled 'Gov't's silence - anything but golden', in which political affairs journalist Gary Spaulding suggested: "He [Bunting] does not possess the stature or charisma ... to drive fear into hoodlums", the national security minister, in The Sunday Gleaner of December 30, 2012, stated:

"The reality is that in 2012, significant progress has been made in reducing all categories of major crimes. The 2012 year-to-date Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) statistics show that at December 23, 2012, all categories of serious violent crimes are down seven per cent ... and, barring a substantial spike in the last few days of the year, 2012 will end below 1,100 murders. This figure will be the lowest since 2003 and well below the annual average of 1,467 for the years 2008 to 2011."

No one disputed the statistics. However, despite some scepticism, this was one of few positives ascribed to government performance in 2012. I interpreted the security minister's announcements that his bold target and strategies to reduce murders from three to one per day over five years were gaining traction.

Although anchored by the Estimates of Expenditure and the plans to finance that expenditure, the Budget Debate is used by government ministers to share their respective plans and opposition spokesmen to counter these plans while providing alternative solutions to the nation's problems.

I suggest that Budget and Sectoral
presentations should indicate the following:

a) Did we
achieve what we set out to achieve last year, and if not, why
not?

b) What do we plan to achieve over the next three
to five years and, specifically, what do we need to achieve in the
coming year? (This must include specific performance targets; not simply
activities).

c) What may prevent us from achieving
those targets and how do we plan to mitigate against achieving those
targets?

d) What do we plan to actually do to deliver
on those targets?

e) How must we reorganise ourselves
to effectively execute the plan to achieve the performance
targets?

Bunting came closest

Among
all the presentations last year, I believe Minister Bunting's came
closest to what I described above. Although not specifically stated, his
presentation was crafted in the context of the targeted 67 per cent
reduction in murders over a five-year period:

"Our
systems of national security, policing, law enforcement and justice are
facing a range of rapidly evolving challenges. ... It is clear that
incremental adjustments to the way we do things will not provide an
adequate response. There is a need for a completely new framework of law
enforcement, based on:

a) Transparency, trust, and
credibility;

b) Strong measures against gangs, major
criminals and the people who facilitate criminal
operations;

c) The structuring of the security
organisations;

d) Cooperation of all agencies of
government in crime prevention;

e) Accelerating the
pace of the judicial process."

The minister then
outlined a new strategic direction focused around crime control and
crime prevention. He suggested that the police will be at the heart of
crime control and outlined a new approach of policing by consent (shift
from a police force to a police service, where citizens are confident
that the police will always act to serve and protect
them).

The crime-prevention strategy centred around
clearing gangs out of entire communities; holding those areas by
maintaining a strong, continuous police presence to provide lasting
security; and then building a robust civil society by partnering with
other government agencies and NGOs to provide education, training,
economic opportunities, health care and prompt
justice.

STRATEGIC EXECUTION
KEY

Strategic plans fail to deliver for two main
reasons - ineffective strategy or ineffective execution. However, before
we can judge the efficacy of the strategy, we must first execute. Such
execution of the strategy outlined by the minister will require
substantial transformation by many stakeholders, including government,
civil society and the armed forces themselves.

This
transformation does not require additional resources, as Paul tells us
in Romans 12:2: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect
will."

I am sure everyone agrees that a safe and
peaceful society is a manifestation of God's good, pleasing and perfect
will. In fact, our national pledge promises that Jamaica can increase in
beauty (environment), fellowship (safety) and prosperity (economy).
However to do so, we must pledge our hearts, minds and bodies in the
service of our fellow citizens; stand up for justice, brotherhood and
peace; work diligently and creatively; and think generously and
honestly.

Transformation is not easy, and it takes
time. We have failed in many transformation efforts - public sector,
education, local government, justice, tax and pension, to name a
few.

Our problem is that we have tried to put in new
strategies in the same structures and mindsets. This is akin to pouring
new wine into old wineskins. This may be why the goodly minister had a
temporary lapse two Saturdays ago and said what was quoted. I say to
Minister Bunting, do not be disheartened; instead, keep your eyes on the
prize, stay the course, focus on being an agent of transformation by
changing the wineskins and, above all, incorporate the national pledge
into the ministry's strategic plan.

Robert Wynter is
managing director of Strategic Alignment Limited, which facilitates
organisational transformation and leadership development. Comments are
welcome at columns@gleanerjm.com and
rob.wyn@hotmail.com.