Govt must cut off dead weight in public service

MY first impression and discussion with few intellects on the street on the subject matter raised a few questions.
Are these sleeping beauties and that the frog prince just kissed them on their feet so they will start going to work?
Did they just wake up?
Do they have to be forced to turn up for work?
Is there something to do incentives and benefits?
Is it to do with their bosses or management being slack?
Where is the performance management system for public servants?
Well, it wasn’t easy to answer all those questions at our street forum.
But one thing that stood on the subject matter was that the issue on public servants’ slackness to work as been there for decades.
To make it to the front page just now is like asking oneself, “is someone kidding me?”
Our street forum, in the first instance thought that public servants are paid less and this might be a contributing factor for them not turning up for work.
But someone said wait for a second, maybe we might be misled in thinking about their pay pack.
How about the other benefits they get through travel allowances, other allowances, cash advances, leave fares, etc.?
Is this not enough to get them off their beds and come to work to serve the country?
Or maybe something is missing there?
Coupled with this we see luxurious or extravagant lifestyles they practice – I mean, we do feel for majority of the public servants in frontline work like teachers, health workers and many more who sacrifice for the love of their jobs (higher calling).
The government needs to be serious about this.
There are so many holes and gaps in the system managed by people who do not care, and the government must take appropriate measures in managing public funds, including strengthening its own systems to better manage the workforce.
This means overhauling the system and ensuring bosses take ownership of the issue and deal with their staff.
The biggest worry at the street forum is that the government incurs a lot of money in paying for unproductive public servants who are not at work, and with tough financial situation the country is faced with, this is not acceptable.
The other worry is that the public machinery may collapse impacting service provision to the people.
 
Street observer, Via email