MTW READIES FOR EPMAS IMPLEMENTATION

The Employee Performance Management and Appraisal System (EPMAS), a system whereby employees' job performance will be assessed against set standards agreed on between employees and supervisors, has reached the implementation stage within the Ministry of Transport and Works.

In support of the implementation process, a number of initiatives have taken place so far while others are scheduled to come on stream. So far, the following have occurred:

· Training Sessions in the art of writing Unit and Individual Work plans
· Attendance of Senior Officers at Work/Unit Plan workshops at the Management Institute of National Development (MIND)
· The EPMAS Committee within the Ministry has been meeting on a weekly basis with a view to fine-tuning strategies for implementation
· A Core Management team has also been formed, the mandate of which is to assist Units/Individuals in preparing Work Plans.
· Discussion on and completion of Unit/Work plans between some Supervisors and direct reports
· The signing off on work plans between the Permanent Secretary and Direct Reports
· Workshops with resource persons from Price Waterhouse Coopers

As of July 1, 2004 all pilot Ministries including this one will fully embrace EPMAS. As a result, the automatic payment of increments to public officers will cease. This is in keeping with current Staff Order regulation which stipulate that an increment will only be paid to an officer whose performance and conduct are reported to be satisfactory.