Sandra Marchack

Sandra Marchack is a retired Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister and Head of the Public Service, a position which she held over the period June, 2004 to September, 2010. Immediately prior to this appointment, she served as Chief Personnel Officer, Personnel Department, from April, 1996.

Having joined the Public Service in August, 1972, she served under several Administrations and was Permanent Secretary to two Prime Ministers. In this capacity, Sandra provided advice and support to the Prime Minister in his/her role as Head of Government. She was, accordingly, responsible for assisting the Prime Minister with, inter alia, all arrangements required for putting a new government in place and played a critical role in managing the transition from one Administration to the other – both where the same political party remained in power and where there was a change of party. This included providing professional support to the Prime Minister in ensuring the continuity of government between successive administrations and enabling the government of the day to understand and recognize the established conventions of government. It also required astute management of the Board of Permanent Secretaries as they grappled with fast paced change and the urgent requirement for implementation of the new policy agenda.

As Head of the Public Service, Sandra served as the main link between the Prime Minister and the Public Service, working with Permanent Secretaries to manage the Service from an objective, non-partisan public policy perspective and to ensure effective leadership within the Service. She managed the introduction of a Ministerial Performance Management system in the Civil Service, involving the setting of Ministerial goals and objectives and an assessment of the Ministry’s attainment of same, as well as of the competencies, qualities and overall performance of the Ministry’s management team through the 360-degree method of assessment. Sandra served as Chair of the Board of Permanent Secretaries, which discussed, addressed and exchanged views on, inter alia, programmes and matters of policy and procedures impacting the Public Service. At the time of her retirement, she left a vibrant and committed forum of Permanent Secretaries.

Sandra has a strong background in Human Resource Management, particularly in the areas of Industrial Relations, Employee Benefits and Compensation Management. As Chief Personnel Officer, she was one of the major players who, in the late 1990’s, managed the transformation of the then existing system of Personnel Management in the Public Service to one of strategic Human Resource Management – which saw the establishment of a more cohesive and coherent approach to managing the human resources in the Public Service. Also, as Chief Personnel Officer, she was deemed the Employer of government employees and the adviser to Government on industrial relations matters, not only in respect of the Public Service but also, in respect of Statutory Authorities and Boards and Public Sector Agencies. She conducted negotiations with no less than twelve Trade Unions and Associations representing public officers and government daily rated employees. Highlights of her tenure as CPO include the settlement, in 1997, of Agreements covering three consecutive periods (1990-1992; 1993-1995; 1996-1998) during a single round of negotiations and the introduction of new Classification and Compensation Plans for the Teaching Service, the Police Service and the Fire Service following the completion of Job Evaluation exercises in those Services.

Sandra possesses a wide range of skills and expertise and has sound knowledge of legislation governing the Public Service. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Spanish from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine and has pursued post graduate training programmes in Industrial Relations at the Industrial Society, London, England; in Human Resource Development at Utah State University, Utah, USA; and in Public Service Transformation and Strategic Management, Universalia Management Group, Ottawa, Canada. She has also received training in Classification and Compensation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Employee Assistance Programmes and competency-based Assessment Centre Techniques.

Following her retirement from the Public Service, Sandra served in the Ministry of Public Administration, providing guidance and leadership for several projects, including the design and implementation of the Gold to Diamond Journey geared towards public service renewal over the period

2012 to 2022.

In September, 2015, Sandra was one of a four-member Transition Team (comprising of retired Permanent Secretaries) appointed by the newly elected Prime Minister to assist the new Administration in transitioning into government, focusing specifically on Public Service issues.

During the period 2013 to 2016, Sandra performed in the capacity of Assessor and Quality Control Co-Ordinator for Assessment Centre Excercises conducted for the recruitment of individuals to the office of Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Public Service.

In March, 2017, Sandra was nominated and served as a Member of an Evaluation Team appointed by the Cabinet to assess Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the services of an Operator for the Couva Medical and Multi-Training Facility; while in July, 2017, she was appointed and served as Chairman of a Committee established by the Cabinet to make recommendations for, inter alia, the development of a Policy Framework for the creation of the office of Head of the Public Service in keeping with contemporary philosophy and practices for Public Management.

Subsequently, Sandra was appointed by Her Excellency the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as a Member of the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) for a period of three (3) years with effect from 4 February, 2019. This appointment was renewed for a further period of three (3) years with effect from 4 February, 2022 and again, for another period of three (3) years with effect from 4 February, 2025.

For her contribution to the Public Service, Sandra was selected as one of 50 graduates of the University of the West Indies from across a timeline of 50 years, to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award at the Inaugural UWI Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards held in April, 2011, in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the St. Augustine Campus of the UWI. In 2012, Sandra was awarded the Chaconia Medal (Gold) in recognition of her long and meritorious service in the field of Public Service. Also in 2012, Sandra was one of 50 former and serving Public Officers honoured for their contribution to the Public Service at a gala celebration of the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago.