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Friday, January 26, 2007 – Minister for External Affairs,
International Financial Services, Information and Broadcasting, Honourable Rufus
Bousquet is considering an overall name change for the Government Information
Service (GIS).
The Minister, who met with staff of the GIS Tuesday January 23rd says the
department's role in the development of the St. Lucian community, must be
reflected in its name.
“I was told by one of the staff members that they were thinking of another name,
namely the Department of Information Services, and I think that name is even
more appropriate than the Government Information Service; so I intend to pursue
that at great lengths. I do not want any one to believe, as I have said before,
that information services or the GIS is going to suffer because our emphasis is
going to be on foreign affairs or on financial services. I am going to give
equal attention to all the departments under my care,” the minister said.
Mr. Bousquet who was companied to the meeting by his permanent and deputy
permanent secretaries, says he came out of the exercise with a sense of hope and
clear recognition of the potential which exists within the department.
“Clearly there are a lot of innovative minds in this department, but these
innovations, to some extent, have been stifled and frustrated by a total lack of
attention. I believe that it's important that whoever took over this department
as minister, would bring a new dynamism and new thrust in order that this
department serve the people of St. Lucia and do the many things that I believe
are necessary and, at this point, imperative in this stage of our development,”
he said.
He says the public's understanding of the impact of arrangements, such as the
CARICOM Single Market and Economy and a proposed OECS Economic Union, lies
squarely on the shoulders of the Government Information Service.
He referred to the GIS as a critical component of governance into the future and
says as Minister for Information and Broadcasting, he intends to ensure the
department receives the resources it needs to achieve its mandate.
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