Following criticism from various groups of tax workers and even from the government’s covid-19 advisory council, the ministers of the Interior and Finance went out to explain in detail the decision that public officials start returning to their duties.
The first to intervene was Interior owner Gonzalo Blumel, who stressed that the measure will be implemented gradually and that the goal at the same time is to protect the health of all people working in the public sector. “All people who are most at risk of coronavirus, such as those with chronic disease or, for example, older or pregnant people, are excluded,” the minister said.
The head of the tax wallet Ignacio Briones supplemented the information and reiterated the issue of graduality.
“Officials will be progressively incorporated, particularly in areas whose nature cannot be done remotely,” he said.
Briones acknowledged that the news has generated noise, and this is why it was decided to release an “operational downside”, that is, to tell how the office will be returned. “We are encouraged to be able to generate a plan that is operational, implementable, gradual, and that of the peace of mind that basic state services will operate normally,” he said.
Ministers were accompanied by Government spokes officer Karla Rubilar and National Director of civil service Alejandro Weber, who was in charge of recounting operational indications for the plan to be implemented.
Weber said the measure is aimed at first instance at service chiefs, who will have to return to their face-to-face duties, unless they have an informed reason.
“The authorities of each of the services, all that relate to the President, through a ministry, will have to identify basic functions that they must continue to provide to the public, and hence decide which ones have to be exercised in person and which in a remote way,” he explained.
The civil service holder mentioned that all sanitary conditions must also be given to generate a return to services responsibly, i.e. consider the Recommendation of the Minsal and have alcohol gel, frequent hand washing, sanitization of common spaces and the use of masks; especially those who serve the public. In addition to allowing social estrangement to prevent contagion.
Weber mentioned that returnees, who do not belong to a risk group, or are licensed or on vacation, should establish shift systems, flexible hours, and allow for the graduality of the process.
The official called on the heads of service, division and department to join their face-to-face duties from this week. And hence develop the return plan that must be implemented progressively, especially in April and May, months in which covid-19 contagion peak is forecast.
