Government serious on cost-cutting measures, says minister

THE Government is working on improving cost-cutting measures in the public service and reinforcing policies, says Public Service Minister Soroi Eoe.
Heads of departments and state agencies have been warned that their powers would be removed if they abused, resulting in an increase in emoluments.
The National Executive Council had endorsed special general orders (SGO) to remove the powers temporarily for two years while the Department of Public Service provided strategies and issuance of revised instruments.
Eoe said a few agency heads and administrators were forewarned on the abuse of these powers.
The powers were re-called on the findings of the audit.
It was discovered that there was an ever-increasing over-expanditure on personal emoluments mainly through the misapplication, of the general orders.
Therefore some control measures must now be put in place.
Eoe said the public service consumed nearly half of the national budget in personal emoluments.
He, therefore, challenged public servants to perform to expectation as the Government was serious about performance management and assessment of public servants.
“Effective performance of the public servants at all levels is now a key to effective service delivery and there will be a presentation on PMS that you will appreciated that we must work hard to earn our salaries,” he said