Mr. Chairman,

My delegation wishes to express its appreciation to the Secretary General for introducing the report on Human Resource Management Reform on 28 October 1998. We also wish to thank the Assistant Secretary General for Human Resources Management, Mrs Rafiah Salim for introducing the other relevant reports of the Secretary General on this agenda item.

At the outset, we wish to align ourselves with the statement made by the distinguished representative of Indonesia, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Mr Chairman, as we approach the twenty-first century, it is important that we have a United Nations that "is equipped, financed and structured to serve effectively the peoples in whose name it was established."

In order to fulfil the aims and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations , we rely on the Secretary General and staff of the Secretariat to provide the necessary support and guidance in an impartial and objective manner, since without their support, we would be unable to function. The staff of this organization have done and continue to do a remarkable job, for which they deserve not only our profound gratitude but our unstinting support.

Mr Chairman, it is within this context that Jamaica continues to attach great importance to the issue of human resource management and its reform. The demands that will continue to be placed on this organization require staff of the United Nations to be appropriately empowered, and proposals for reform must live up to this expectation.

We welcome the improvements that have so far been made in this area. We take note of the work that the Office of Human Resource Management (OHRM) continues to do in order to advance the reform process within the United Nations. We remain committed to this process and stand ready to contribute to ensuring its success.

Now that the reform process is under way we must focus our attention on the implementation of programmes. We agree with the Secretary General that the staff of the United Nations are the organization's greatest asset. Therefore the implementation of reform programmes must be an exercise undertaken with great care and must be balanced with the views and needs of staff. In our bid to create " a leaner and more efficient United Nations Secretariat", the dedication and commitment of staff must be cultivated and maintained. Full participation of staff at all levels in the decision making process is vital to our success. Reform measures must take into account the unique nature of the organization and strategies need to be tailored to fit the needs of the United Nations.

Mr Chairman, my delegation believes that the creation of an organizational culture in which the principles of equity, innovation, high performance and managerial excellence are embodied, can only have a positive impact on the work of this organization. The implementation of the Performance Appraisal System throughout the Secretariat will ensure greater accountability from staff at all levels, as well provide a system of recognition and rewards. Adequate safeguards must however be included. Periodic reviews of this system must be undertaken with a view to its improvement and adjustment to the changing environment.

The delegation of authority to programme managers and measures to ensure their accountability for achieving results, is an important development. We look forward to receiving more details on the measures to be employed in ensuring greater accountability of programme managers for human and financial resources. We are not convinced that a reduction in the responsibilities and role of the Office of Human Resource Management to that of "providing policy advice and identifying new trends and practices in human resources", would impact positively on human resource management. Further clarification of this new role is required.

We note that, in an effort to meet the goal of 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2000 in all categories of posts within the UN system, a strategic plan of action which has at its core the recruitment , placement and promotion of women, as outlined in document A/53/376, is being implemented. We also note the views of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) contained in paragraphs 280 and 281 of its report A/53/30, that while there has been progress over the past 12 years in improving the representation of women in the organisation, the rate of progress has been slow. The Commission estimates that representation in non geographical posts will not take place until the year 2013, and in geographical posts not until the year 2018. At the higher decision making levels, P-5 and above, progress has also been slow.

While we welcome the initiatives of the Secretary General in this regard, and are encouraged by developments at the D1 level, we also look forward to the increased representation of women at the senior and policy-making levels, particularly those from developing countries, and to an accelerated rate of progress towards the goal of gender balance.

We would like to be kept advised of developments with regard to proposals on the introduction of a probationary period for successful candidates in the

competitive examination for promotion to the Professional category of staff members from other categories, as well as on the feasibility of holding the national competitive examinations in the six official languages. We hope that, if instituted, these will result in a positive impact on the representation of those states that are under or un-represented.

We look forward to the streamlining of the recruitment and placement process. While it is important that recruitment of staff be carried out in a timely and simplified manner, it is also essential that the process be transparent and take into account the need for equitable geographical and gender representation. In light of the large number of resignations and retirements, it is essential that the reform of this process be given immediate attention.

Jamaica agrees that responsibility for career development is shared between the individual, management and the organization but would like to emphasise that the proper environment must be created for staff advancement. We are concerned about the maintenance of fixed short-term contracts and would like to see more movement among the levels, including from short-term contracts to permanent employment, and from the G to the P level. Career appointments must be an essential element in an independent international civil service.

Mr Chairman, training is an important development tool that will ensure the maintenance of the highest calibre of staff and a high level of professional competence. Staff members will benefit from the increased mobility across levels, functions and duty stations that training will provide. It is therefore important that system-wide training be implemented , not just training within the Secretariat. Broad-based training will prepare staff for assignment both at Headquarters and in field missions. Additionally, staff will be equipped for changes in responsibility and job functions that will become an eventuality.

My delegation would like to emphasise the importance of the consultative process in determining the career development needs of staff. Departmental requirements must be balanced with individual staff development needs and staff must be given the opportunity to voice their preferences. Accessibility to training is also vital. The identification of training opportunities and the resulting programmes that will be implemented will not have the desired impact if they are not accessible to staff members.

Therefore the scheduling of training courses must be examined and the use of on-the-job training prioritised. In the final analysis, the benefits from training and the co-relation between training and career advancement should be clearly visible to all staff members.

Mr. Chairman, the administration of justice concerning staff matters needs to be given serious attention. We agree that staff have a right to have their cases heard and resolved expeditiously. The process must be fair and transparent and staff must have access to adequate representation. The improvement of staff-management relations must also be addressed , in order to promote increased dialogue and less adjudication.

We welcome the guidelines on the terms of reference, selection, hiring and renewal of contracts of consultants contained in document A/53/385. We hope that these new guidelines will help to ensure that core functions of the Secretariat are being carried out by international civil servants.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations
New York
November 16, 1998

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