WHEN DID THIS BECOME NORMAL?

Why are public servants being invited to—and seemingly expected to—attend meetings, graduations, ceremonies, workshops, and other functions held at the ABLP’s political headquarters, People’s Place? Public servants are employees of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. They are expected to serve the people of this country professionally, impartially, and without political favour. So why are government employees being placed in situations where their presence at a political party headquarters can be perceived as participation in, or association with, partisan political activities? And if attendance is truly voluntary, are public servants genuinely comfortable saying “no” when the invitation comes from persons in positions of authority or influence? This is where the issue becomes bigger than any one political party.

It is about boundaries.

It is about public service neutrality.

It is about the appropriate use of public servants’ time and professional roles.

And it is about the danger of allowing the lines between Government and political party to become so blurred that we stop seeing anything wrong with it.

Imagine for a moment if the UPP invited public servants to attend ABWU headquarters for government-related meetings, workshops, graduations, or ceremonies. Would we consider that perfectly normal? Or would there immediately be questions about political influence and the neutrality of the public service? We cannot have one standard when it is convenient and another when the political circumstances change. A political party headquarters is not a government ministry. People’s Place is not the seat of government. If an activity is genuinely a government activity, then why can it not be held in an appropriate government facility or another neutral venue? And if it is a political-party activity, then why should public servants be expected to attend in their official capacity? These are legitimate questions, and citizens who care about good governance and the integrity of our public institutions must ask these very important questions.

We must be careful about what we normalize. Because once practices that should raise questions become routine, tomorrow they may no longer raise an eyebrow. Government is government. Political parties are political parties. Public servants are public servants. The boundaries should be clear. So I ask again: Why are public servants being invited to and expected to attend official-looking functions at a political party headquarters, and why have we allowed this to become normalized?

Who is prepared to ask the question and who is prepared to answer it?

Public Servant!