State starts reform

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE Government is sending home more than 1200 public servants on retirement age, and introducing a computerised time-keeping system to improve productivity and efficiency in the civil service.
Public Service Minister Elias Kapavore told Parliament yesterday these were part of the State’s 100-day economic recovery programme.
“As part of cost control measures to reduce staff expenditure and improve operational efficiency, a retirement exercise has been commenced,” he said.
The 1229 identified to have reached retirement age would be paid their entitlements once funding is available. Kapavore said they needed K40 million for that. And of the 1229, 143 have already left.
Kapavore said the high cost of the ex-gratia termination benefits was holding back the move to send the retiring public servants home.
He also said a tendering process had begun for a new payroll-linked time-keeping and attendance system. Public servants will be required to clock in and clock out each working day. This is connected to the payroll system to monitor the punctuality and attendance of public servants.
“I expect the trials to be completed in the first quarter of 2018. The system will be rolled out progressively down to the districts over the next two years,” he said.
“I have made this my number one priority. All too often we are told that services cannot be delivered because public servants have not come to work. This unfair and wasteful practices will be ceased.”
Meanwhile, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird and Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu called for a review of the appointment process of provincial administrators.