Reports went out on social media sites today that there will be major staff cuts at the Department of Youth Services - where as many as 40 people are reported to be on the chopping block. Well, according to the new Minister of Youth and Sports, Anthony Mahler, quote, "there are no staff cuts." He says that one woman was terminated by the public service - but that was in train before he took over the ministry.
Mahler did concede though that he and Minister of State Devin Daly have been doing a thorough review of DYS operations - and they plan to make changes to get more programs going.
He adds that 95% of the DYS annual budget covers salaries and administration and the small portion that is left for programs is still under-utilized. 7News has learned that a number of youth programs are dormant or inactive while staff are still getting paid.
The PSU sent out a release this evening referring to, quote, "a potential reduction of staff by 33% (approximately 100 employees)." The release adds, "we urgently appeal to the Ministry to prioritize a human-centered approach that safeguards livelihoods and addresses systemic issues before resorting to job cuts."
They acknowledge the need for restructuring but, quote, "Terminating 100 workers without first addressing long standing inefficiencies, alleged corruption, and potential "ghost workers" would disproportionately harm vulnerable communities." End quote.
The release also adds that if "7 million dollars of the departments' combined 7.5 million dollars budget is allocated to salaries…this raises serious questions about fiscal management and resource allocation."
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