By The Star Staff
Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary General Juan Luis Camacho Semidei, along with Gabriel López Arrieta, a PDP at-large candidate for the island House of Representatives, charged Wednesday that the “Operation Implanting” carried out by the current government administration could disrupt the services to citizens and the quality of the work environment in agencies.
The PDP accused the New Progressive Party (NPP) government administration of accommodating unqualified supporters in career positions at agencies with salary increases established by partisan political considerations.
“The NPP’s ‘Operation Implanting’ could provoke a crisis in the government because personnel transactions have been processed to perpetuate NPP members and followers of the candidate for governor of that party, Jenniffer González, in sensitive career positions, which fosters a culture of favoritism and political loyalties that undermines the principles of merit and competence that should guide public employment,” Camacho Semidei said. “In addition, people are being appointed to positions for which they are not necessarily qualified, which affects the efficiency and effectiveness of government agencies.”
“The ‘implanting’ causes the demoralization of those employees who are not involved in partisan politics or are not affiliated with the NPP and promotes a toxic and divisive work environment, where internal politics takes priority over service to the citizenry,” he added.
López Arrieta, who has served as the public housing administrator, stressed that the alleged practices are a clear example of how Jenniffer González and the NPP continue to turn their backs on the people.
“What we are seeing is a clear example of how Jenniffer González and the NPP govern based on their friends,” he said. “In the primary, Jenniffer promised that she would fire Pierluisi’s employees, but now, in a blatant turn, she seeks to unify the party by buying loyalties with public funds. This ‘implanting’ is nothing more than another maneuver to consolidate their power and perpetuate a government controlled by personal interests, where political loyalty is rewarded above ability and merit. This is exactly what is destroying the efficiency of our institutions and service to the people.”
Camacho Semidei said the practice will cause lawsuits against the government, since qualified and experienced public servants in career positions are being discarded in favor of a party supporter.
“This practice will cause lawsuits because qualifications are not taken into consideration, only political affiliation,” he said. “At the same time, services to citizens are affected because people who know the job and have developed experience in serving the people are discarded. In several cases, trust personnel with administrative complaints [lodged against them] for workplace and political harassment have been appointed. All this undermines the principles of merit and competence that should guide public employment.”
López Arrieta also lashed out at the NPP for what he said are the devastating consequences of the alleged practices.
“They ruin essential services and only serve themselves, using the government as a favor machine to benefit their own,” he said.
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