Dear Editor,
I want to chime in on the recent conversation about whether accountability or responsibility is more important for our public servants in Guyana. While both are crucial, I believe responsibility should take centre stage when it comes to the way our public servants approach their jobs.
Accountability is all about holding people answerable when things go wrong—punishments, investigations, and blame come into play after mistakes are made. But this approach is reactive, meaning it only steps in after something has gone wrong. While necessary, focusing only on accountability makes us always look back at what went wrong instead of focusing on what could be done right from the start.
On the other hand, responsibility is proactive. It’s about each public servant taking their duties seriously and doing their best, not just because they fear being punished, but because they care about serving the public. When someone feels responsible for what they’re doing, they’ll go beyond what’s required and ensure things are done properly from the outset.
Take the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, for example. If a bridge collapses, accountability would demand an investigation and probably punishment for those involved. But if the people responsible for maintaining that bridge felt a deep sense of responsibility from the beginning, regular maintenance and safety checks would likely have prevented that collapse in the first place.
Another example is our healthcare system. Accountability comes in when a doctor or nurse fails to do their job, leading to consequences like suspension or termination. But if responsibility were the focus, those same healthcare workers would take extra care with their patients, follow up on treatments, and even think of better ways to improve patient care without waiting to be told. They’d act because they want to do what’s right, not just because they’re afraid of being reprimanded.
In Guyana, we’re dealing with inefficiency, corruption, and a lack of public trust in our institutions. If we could build a culture of responsibility, we would see public servants owning their roles and taking initiative, rather than just doing the bare minimum to avoid getting into trouble. And with that sense of responsibility would naturally come accountability—but it wouldn’t be driven by fear; it’d be driven by pride in their work.
When accountability is the main focus, it creates a blame game. People are scared of making mistakes, so they avoid taking risks or coming up with new ideas. This slows everything down and makes public service less effective. But when responsibility is prioritized, public servants are more likely to put in the effort, act with integrity, and think long-term about the impact of their work.
For example, in environmental services, a responsible public servant would take it upon themselves to ensure proper waste management in rural areas, even if it’s outside their immediate role. They’d do it because they care about the health and well-being of the communities they serve—not because they’re afraid of being held accountable if something goes wrong later.
In conclusion, accountability is important, but we need to focus on responsibility if we really want to see positive change in our public service. Public servants should feel empowered to take charge and do their best for the people, not just to avoid consequences but because they genuinely want to make a difference. That’s the kind of mindset that will lead to real progress in Guyana.
Sincerely,
Keith Bernard