SearchArchives for July 2009
28 July, 2008UNITED STATES
Cyber security suffers staff shortage
The United States Government could find itself vulnerable to cyber attack and unable to defend the nation’s computers unless it beefs up its IT security workforce.
President Barack Obama has called cyber security one of the most serious challenges facing the nation, but a survey by the non-profit organisation Partnership for Public Service and a consulting company has found the nation's security could be in jeopardy.
The study of 18 Federal Agencies, which also included interviews with security experts inside and outside government, found that not enough workers were sufficiently trained to protect computer systems from hackers, criminals, terrorists and foreign Governments.
President Obama said he intended to create the post of Cyber-Security Coordinator to oversee America's digital infrastructure.
The PPS report, titled Cyber IN-Security, said the Federal Government would be unable to combat cyber threats without a more coordinated, sustained effort to increase cyber-security expertise in the Federal workforce.
It cites four challenges facing the Government: an inadequate supply of potential new information technology experts; uncoordinated leadership of cyber-security workers; a cumbersome hiring process that discourages people from seeking Government jobs and then providing a career path for those who do; and hiring managers and human resource specialists who disagree on the quality of IT candidates.
The report recommends that the new Coordinator develop a strategy for recruiting, training and retaining cyber-security experts.
It also says the White House should reach out to universities and the private sector to encourage Americans to develop technological skills, similar to what previous Administrations did during the space race.
It calls on the Office of Personnel and Management to fix the Federal hiring process, create a cyber-security career path and expedite security clearances.
It also suggests Congress provide significant funding for training Federal workers in "state of the art" technologies and for college scholarships in the cyber-security field.
Currently, the US Government runs a scholarship program that fills about 120 entry-level cyber-security jobs annually. However, the study found that to effectively combat impending security challenges, at least 1,000 nationally sponsored cyber-security graduates are needed each year to adequately fill vacant security positions.
The study also found that the US Government suffered from "fragmented governance and uncoordinated leadership," which impeded cyber-security workforce needs.
"In this fragmented climate, Departments and Agencies are on their own and sometimes working at cross-purposes or in competition with one another," the study said.
Meanwhile, it said, the Federal Government hiring process was bogged down with bureaucracy, complicated rules and an outdated and arbitrary job classification system.
28 July, 2008
NEW ZEALAND
PS warned to expect 10 lean years
The New Zealand Public Service has been warned to expect 10 years of belt-tightening, job cuts and limited wage increases as the nation struggles with its worst recession in 30 years.
Minister of Finance, Bill English said the coming decade of Budget deficits meant that Public Service resources were going to be constrained.
In his Budget, brought down in May, Mr English said deficits were expected to widen as the recession curbed tax revenue and increased welfare payments.
“We have a huge overdraft and the Public Service is going to be affected,” Mr English said.
Government Departments, including Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries had already announced job cuts. State-owned Meridian Energy, the nation’s biggest power generator, was reviewing as many as 300 jobs.
Mr English said the reviews across the State sector were not “slash and burn” but a measured response to a “new reality” as the Government had less money to spend.
“The money isn’t going to keep flowing,” he said.
“Restraint is permanent, and we have an obligation to think very hard about how we spend taxpayer dollars.”
He said the state sector comprised more than 180 organisations that employed 247,500 full-time equivalent employees with an annual wage bill of $18 billion (A$14.5 billion).
Secretary of the Treasury, John Whitehead told public sector Chief Executives that they needed to make changes to boost their productivity, or they would have those changes made for them.
Mr Whitehead said Government Department Heads needed to move outside their "traditional comfort zone" and look for options such as those used in the private sector.
He proposed contracting out more services to the private sector and merging administrative functions to get greater efficiency savings.
“I am not saying the Public Service should be slashed, what I am saying is that the public sector has to grow more slowly than the export and the private and competitive sector," Mr Whitehead said.
"And I guess ultimately the point I was making is you can't freeze jobs, you've got to be able change as circumstances change so we are doing the most important things for the people of New Zealand."
National Secretary of the New Zealand Public Service Association, Brenda Pilott also joined the debate saying privatisation was not the answer.
Ms Pilott called for a moratorium on restructuring within Departments because it was diverting time and energy away from making effective changes.
"Mr Whitehead believes privatisation will lift productivity - we reject that view," Ms Pilott said.
“Bad management in the private sector has created the worst global recession since the Great Depression.”
28 July, 2008
UNITED KINGDOM
UK Civil Service becomes official
Legislation that finally enshrines the British Civil Service into law has been published by the Government of the United Kingdom.
The Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill puts the Civil Service on a statutory footing for the first time, as well as enshrining in law both the Civil Service Code and the Civil Service Commissioners.
Also included in the Bill are provisions specifying the roles and powers of Ministerial Special Advisers, as well as a requirement for Ministers to publish annual reports on the number of Special Advisers working in Westminster and elsewhere.
Most of the proposals were originally included in the Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill published last year, but the Government has also added sections allowing peers to resign from the House of Lords.
Secretary [Minister] of Justice, Jack Straw said allowing peers to resign was an important reform since the hereditary principle had “no place in a modern, representative democracy”.
But Opposition politicians criticised the Bill – part of the Government’s efforts to restore trust in the wake of the scandals over MPs’ expenses – with Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg dismissing the plans as “timid”.
"For all his claims to be bold on constitutional reform, [Prime Minister] Gordon Brown has ducked all the big issues: cleaning up party funding, a fair voting system and reforming the House of Lords," Mr Clegg said.
Shadow Secretary of Justice, Dominic Grieve said the “rag-bag collection” of measures was being rushed through on the basis of political expediency rather than the public interest.
No date has been set for the second reading of the Bill. The Government hopes its Parliamentary Standards Bill, which creates an independent authority to monitor MPs’ expenses, will be passed before Parliament breaks up for the summer recess.
28 July, 2008
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
Housing boost for PS families
Almost 350 Public Service families are in new homes on the islands of St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, after taking advantage of a special Public Service home loan scheme.
Prime Minister, Denzil L. Douglas said the total value of assistance provided by the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis under the Scheme amounted to $EC47.5 million (A$21.75 million).
Development Bank officials said the beneficiaries of the family homes are cleaners, teachers, nurses, port security officers, police officers, soldiers, emergency medical technicians and other Public Servants in various positions.
Homes have been built around St. Kitts at several locations including Cayon, Tabernacle, St. Peter’s, Stapleton, Ottley’s, New Road, Lodge, Shadwell, Newton Ground, St. Paul’s, Sandy Point, Verchild’s, Basseterre, Gillards Meadows and Dieppe Bay.
Dr Douglas said houses built under the Civil Service Mortgage Scheme ranged from $EC72,000 (A$33,000) to $EC275,000 (A$126,000).
“We believe that it is important to empower people through the acquisition of property,” Dr. Douglas said.
“The [governing] St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party is a party of progress and success that believes in the empowerment of the ordinary people.”
The Civil Servants Home Mortgage Scheme offers 100 per cent financing through the Development Bank, based on the number of years individuals have worked in the Public Service and is one of several housing programs initiated by Government which have resulted in nearly 3,000 homes being built.
28 July, 2008
FIJI
Disciplinary tribunal
to be set up
The Prime Minister of Fiji, coup-leader Frank Bainimarama, has announced plans for a Public Service Disciplinary Tribunal to deal with growing numbers of corruption cases and take a load off the Public Service Commission.
The Prime Minister said that with the increasing number of cases over recent years as well as with Government’s focus on eliminating corruption in the Public Service, there was a need to establish the Tribunal to hear cases expeditiously.
Commodore Bainimarama said over the years the Public Service Commission had been dealing with various cases in the Public Service, most of which had to be heard over two to three days or more.
“These disciplinary cases from various Ministries and Departments were time-consuming since these cases were partly heard or deferred to a later date, due to the lengthy process of disposal each case takes,” Commodore Bainimarama said.
“The establishment of the Tribunal is a way forward to expedite the Government’s initiatives in achieving a leaner - accountable and professional Public Service.”
He said the Public Service (Discipline) Regulation 2009 would be formulated to govern the functions and operations of the Tribunal.
It will be made up of three members with a legally qualified person with not less than seven years post bar admission experience, as chairperson.
28 July, 2008
NIGERIA
10,000 PS fraudsters sacked
The Governor of the Nigerian State of Kogi has sacked more than 10,000 Public Servants who had joined the local PS by using forged documents.
In a related development, police said they were on the trail of the 19 accountants suspended by Governor Ibrahim Idris over their alleged involvement in the inflation of the monthly PS wage bill which had impaired development in the State.
The newspaper Vanguard reported that the sackings followed recommendations in the report of a consulting firm engaged by the State Government to authenticate the actual workforce on its payroll.
About 3,000 names on the payroll belonged to ghost workers resulting in a rort that has defrauded the state of several millions of naira (several tens of thousands of Australian dollars) over a number of years.
Confirming the sackings, Special Adviser to Governor Idris on Public Communication and Strategy, Phrank Shaubu said he was shocked by the high rate of fraud in the Public Service.
He said this was totally unacceptable to Government, as the missing funds should have been used for the overall development of the State.
However, Public Service workers, angered at the size of the sackings, are reported to be considering industrial action, raising tensions in the Kogi State capital of Lokoja.
28 July, 2008
GERMANY
Feared agents found in PS
A researcher in Germany has revealed that up to 15,000 former members of East Germany’s secret police, the Stasi, are working in the Public Service as police, teachers and administration staff.
The researchers revealed that many ex-Stasi officers were only superficially vetted after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and managed to remain in public employment.
Some members of the Stasi, which is short for Ministry for State Security, had risen to high ranks in the police force, and one is even assigned to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s personal protection team.
The figure of up to 15,000, collected from data provided by the five eastern regional States, is far higher than thought, and has reinforced doubts about whether Germany has been rigorous enough in confronting its communist past.
At its height, the Stasi had 91,000 employees and a network of around 189,000 civilian informants to spy on neighbours, co-workers and even relatives. Allegations made against it by its former victims include sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats against relatives or to make prisoners “disappear” and exposure to radiation, causing cancer.
The researcher who compiled the figures, Klaus Schroeder of Berlin’s Free University, said Germany was repeating the mistake it made after World War II when thousands of Nazi officials were allowed to remain in the Public Service.
He said they used their positions to obstruct attempts to bring war criminals to justice and delayed the country’s struggle to come to terms with its history.
“What I find disappointing is that the authorities pretended that they were making proper checks and that they had learnt from 1945,” Professor Schroeder said, “but in fact the checks were very lax and people weren’t properly vetted at all. They were just waved through.”
“People were just asked what Department they worked in and from when until when, nothing more. Whole Departments were declared clean,” he said.
Groups representing Stasi victims said the findings were scandalous and demanded that staff be re-evaluated.
Public employees in Germany are entitled to generous welfare benefits and pensions, a fact that makes the large number of former Stasi staff enjoying those perks additionally galling to many at this time of economic crisis.
Under a law passed in 1991, Stasi members applying to stay in the Public Service had to be vetted but were free to be recruited if deemed suitable.
Professor Schroeder said he had not collated figures on how many Stasi members were still working in National Government Departments, and that his proposal to check the number in employment offices, where many were transferred in the early 1990s, was refused.
“These people aren’t indispensable, there are others who could do their jobs,” he said.
‘No one’s stopping them from working in the private sector, but they shouldn’t be teachers or police officers, that’s just insensitive.”
28 July, 2008
AFRICA
Heads agree on new PS approach
Public Service Heads from 17 African countries have committed to creating new strategic approaches to managing and measuring performance in their Public Services.
Coming together for a recent forum in the Seychelles the more than 50 delegates also agreed to advise Heads of State and their political leaderships on policy matters and to win their support and involvement in enhancing performance management as a means to continually improve Public Service delivery.
In his keynote address, Republic of Seychelles Vice President Joseph Belmont said countries that had adopted performance management systems had, by and large, experienced remarkable transformations resulting in positive economic growth, with accompanying improvement in the performance of public sector organisations.
"To improve performance and achieve national development objectives, we need to build a culture of continuous improvement and personal development among all public sector employees including the leaders and managers,” Vice President Belmont said.
The meeting, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, has taken place annually since 2004. It allows Heads of Public Service to share ideas and experiences on critical public sector development issues.
Secretary to the Cabinet in Seychelles, Mohammed Afif acknowledged the timeliness of the meeting.
"Nine months ago, in the wake of the worldwide economic recession, Seychelles embarked on a series of wide-ranging macro-economic reforms, including public sector restructuring, with a 12 per cent reduction in its workforce and the redeployment of workers in most cases, to the private sector,” Mr Afif said.
We are, therefore, keen to share our experiences, and to learn from our learned colleagues from Commonwealth Africa."
28 July, 2008
MALAYSIA
Indian recruitment exceeds quota
Recruitment of Malaysian Indians into the Malaysian Public Service has exceeded a quota set by the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) with the Public Service Commission (SPA) and the Public Service Department
Secretary-General of the MIC, Datuk S. Subramaniam, who is also Minister of Human Resources, said the number of Malaysian Indians recruited into the Public Service this year stood at nine per cent of the total, while the agreed quota had been 7.4 per cent
“This is indeed an encouraging development,” Dr Subramaniam said.
“On the question of many Malaysian Indians who applied and had their applications rejected, I wish to state here that 4,000 Malaysian Indians were recruited by the SPA this year, and another 12,000 applicants had their applications rejected.
Dr Subramaniam said this reflected the success-failure ratio of other races and that there were various reasons cited by the SPA to reject the applications.
He said the intake of Malaysian Indians into the Public Service will continue to be monitored and the issue had been discussed in Cabinet meetings.
"We are also discussing with Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad [the main Malaysian energy provider] to take in more Malaysian Indians,” he said.
“We will ensure more places are set aside for Malaysian Indians in the GLCs through negotiations with the Government.”
28 July, 2008
UNITED KINGDOM
Report wants BBC to fight for funds
A report prepared for the UK Government has called for the nation’s airwaves to be opened up to competition and the BBC forced to defend its position as the national broadcaster.
The report also recommended the television licence fee, the revenue from which supports BBC operations, be removed from the broadcaster’s exclusive use.
It criticised the BBC for spending most of the funding on entertainment shows, thus failing to fulfil its public service broadcasting (PSB) commitments.
The report said the BBC could bid for the money, while recommending the sale of some channels, including BBC One.
A spokesman for the BBC Trust said the report was one of many different contributions to the PSB debate.
"In recent years, rather than encouraging competition on audience share, the Trust has used a basket of different measures including quality, originality, and value for money to measure the BBC's performance," the spokesman said.
The report, written by Labour MP, Frank Field and titled Auntie's Dying: Long Live Public Service Broadcasting, also suggested the sale of BBC Three, Radio One and Radio Two.
‘Auntie’ is the colloquial – and affectionate – name often used for the BBC.
The report said remaining services, including BBC Two and Radio Four, would still be financed entirely by public funds.
With the licence fee placed in the hands of a new independent commissioning body, broadcasters would pitch ideas for public service programmes and gain funding accordingly.
Mr Field’s report said public service broadcasting entailed producing programs that a broadcaster would probably not make if they were only concerned with attracting big audiences and making a profit.
It said these included news, children's broadcasting, arts and religious output.
In Government proposals outlined last month, the rival network ITV could gain a share of the BBC licence fee, while the Corporation has warned this could damage output.
21 July, 2008
UNITED STATES
Pension fund to sue
ratings agencies
The biggest Public Service pension fund in the United States is to sue the three leading credit ratings agencies for their ‘wildly inaccurate’ ratings in the lead-up to the Global Financial Crisis.
The fund, which holds the pension entitlements of 1.6 million Public Servants in California, is the California Public Employees Retirement System, or ‘Calpers’, which bought $US1.3 billion ($A1.65 billion) worth of sub-prime mortgages in 2006 and lost nearly all that value in 2007 and 2008.
The lawsuit, filed in the California Superior Court in San Francisco, is focused on a form of debt called structured investment vehicles, highly complex packages of securities made up of a variety of assets, including subprime mortgages.
Calpers maintains that in giving these packages of securities the agencies’ highest credit rating, the three top ratings agencies — Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch — “made negligent misrepresentation” to the pension fund.
It claims in its lawsuit that the AAA ratings given by the agencies “proved to be wildly inaccurate and unreasonably high,” and also questioned the methods used by the rating agencies to assess the packages, saying they were “seriously flawed in conception and incompetently applied”.
Calpers has not specified the amount of damages it is seeking and there ahs been no comments from the agencies.
As the US Federal Government considers an overhaul of the financial regulatory system, credit rating agencies have come in for blame in the recent market collapse. Critics contend that rather than being watchdogs, the agencies stamped high ratings on many securities linked to subprime mortgages and other forms of risky debt.
Commentators say that while the lawsuit is not the first against the credit rating agencies, some of which face litigation not only from investors in the securities they rated but from their own shareholders, it does lay out how an investor as sophisticated as Calpers, which has $US173 billion ($A217 billion) in assets, could be led astray.
They say the security packages were so opaque that only the hedge funds that put them together - Sigma S.I.V. and Cheyne Capital Management in London, and Stanfield Capital Partners in New York - and the ratings agencies knew what the packages contained.
Information about the securities in the packages was considered proprietary and not provided to the investors who bought them.
Calpers also criticised what it contends are conflicts of interest by the rating agencies, which are paid by the companies issuing the securities - an arrangement that has come under fire as a disincentive for the agencies to be vigilant on behalf of investors.
21 July, 2008
UNITED KINGDOM
Consultant warns PS hard times ahead
A consultant’s report into the United Kingdom’s Civil Service has recommended a fundamental overhaul of processes for appointing, training and rewarding staff and it warns that significant job losses are unavoidable.
The report, titled The Challenge Facing the UK Public Sector and delivered by international professional services firm KPMG, says there will be very low or no growth for the next decade.
Assuming annual cuts of five per cent or more from 2011-12 onwards, the report argues that areas such as Local Government are the most likely to be affected whereas Health and Education will probably be shielded.
It also assumes that public expenditure will be flat, or grow very little in real terms, in the period from 2014 to 2018.
The report warns that deep and damaging cuts can be avoided if public sector organisations take action now but only if they implement radical changes in the way services are delivered.
It sets out a three-stage approach to tackle the looming financial crisis.
Stage one would be an aggressive and determined program of cost-cutting designed to eliminate costs that do not contribute to the delivery of frontline services.
The second step would be to determine the relative priority of different policies and programs, with a view to scaling back or eliminating altogether those activities that are judged to be unaffordable and/or of low priority.
The third and final stage would be to redesign the way public services are delivered with big changes to how those who deliver services are appointed, trained, incentivised and rewarded.
KPMG Head of Public Sector, Alan Downey said that whereas the private sector had responded to similar pressure by making radical changes in the way services were delivered leading to major productivity gains, there had been no corresponding productivity gain in the public sector.
“Quite the reverse, there is evidence productivity has declined,” Mr Downey said.
“However, the public sector has the advantage of advance warning. Whereas the recession took most businesses by surprise, public sector managers have time to plan and prepare for a crisis they know is coming.”
He predicted the full force of the recession would not hit the public sector for at least another 12 months, so it was vital that the available time was used well, to draw up and implement a comprehensive program of activity.
“The cost of doing the right thing will be inevitably high,” Mr Downey said. “It will not be possible to avoid significant job losses.”
He said many of those who had benefited from the public expenditure boom (including a network of private and voluntary sector suppliers) will find that they are operating in a shrinking and increasingly competitive market.
Mr Downey said that although the cost in human terms would be high, it was clear that a planned approach was preferable to the alternative, which was to drift unprepared into a public sector recession that was fast approaching.
21 July, 2008
ZIMBABWE
Return to salary payments for PS
Public Servants in Zimbabwe are to be paid a salary from now on, instead of the $US100 ($A125) allowances paid since February.
Finance Minister, Tendai Biti made the announcement amid growing disquiet among the country’s Public Servants who have been paid the $US100 monthly allowances since February when a power sharing Government took office.
Teachers’ unions have threatened to go on strike at the end of this month if the Government does not scrap the allowance system.
Mr Biti told Parliament that the Government would “vary the amount earned by Public Servants”, a signal that pay-by-rank would be restored in place of the current flat allowance for all the country’s 237,000 Public Servants.
The Minister also announced an urgent audit of the Public Service to flush out what he called “ghost workers”.
“The Cabinet has agreed to make an audit of the entire Public Service, which is estimated to be 237,000 but there are fears that these figures should not be that high,” Mr Biti said.
“We issued $US100 vouchers in February and we had many uncollected vouchers because of the strictness of the process, and this means some people were collecting salaries more than once.”
Zimbabwe has said it needs some $US8.3 million ($A10.4 million) over the next three years to restore social services, stabilise the economy and meet its Public Service wage bill.
International appeals for aid have so far met a muted response, although regional countries have contributed almost US$1 billion ($A1.25 billion).
21 July, 2008
RWANDA
Staff told their
jobs are safe
Public Servants in Rwanda have been assured that they will not lose out from ongoing reforms to the PS.
Minister of Public Service and Labour, Anastase Murekezi said the reforms would see Public Servants get more rewarding jobs.
Speaking in Kigali, Mr Murekezi said GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetA" ); the reforms were aimed at improving structures and the functioning of public institutions to deliver services more efficiently.
"Public Servants should not be alarmed by these reforms thinking that they aim at simply laying them off, the reforms are to put them in more deserving positions of work," Mr Murekezi said.
“The reforms are also aimed at creating more work positions at the grass roots level in order to bring better services closer to the population.”
The Minister said that in the evaluation phase, some new positions would be added in both Central and Local Government, while other positions changed names and functions.
“Some of the new positions that will be added in the new structures include advisers in the Ministries, analysts, researchers and experts who will help in policy formulation and coordination,” he said.
“Other positions are the executive assistants in higher Government institutions, the Department of Socio-Political Affairs in the Office of the President and regional auditors who will help in management of Government funds.”
As a way of bringing the services nearer to local people, different positions had been created at the sector level that included Land Management Officers, Cooperatives and Business Promotion Officers and others in charge of revenue collection.
Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission, Angelina Muganza said the reform process was expected to take three months.
The first phase of the reforms will involve the Central and Local Governments and the next phase will on concentrate on Government Institutions and Commissions.
21 July, 2008
UNITED KINGDOM
PS head warns of tight times ahead
The Head of the UK Civil Service, Sir Gus O’Donnell has warned that public spending on programs and services is going to be ‘much tighter’ in the years to come.
He admitted that the task facing Ministers was "immense", saying that Public Servants could pinpoint efficiency savings, but it would be up to whichever party won power at the next General Election to decide on spending priorities.
"I think that Civil Servants have to be ready to deal with a much tighter public expenditure situation,” Sir Gus said.
"We will need to think about efficiencies. The challenges of doing that will be quite immense for us.”
Sir Gus said what was needed was an efficient Civil Service ready to give honest, objective advice to Ministers.
“We need to think through all the options and give them some realistic choices to make," he said.
Sir Gus also addressed the row over the refusal to give Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne access to the Combined Online Information System, which lists Government spending in 12,000 categories.
Mr Osborne had accused the Government of blocking him from the database, which he said he needed to review in order to decide how to reduce public spending.
Sir Gus confirmed that it was he who had been responsible for the decision to deny Mr Osborne access.
The Cabinet Secretary said he had been operating "within the context" of a letter from Prime Minister Gordon Brown outlining the terms of handover talks between the Civil Service and the Opposition parties which traditionally occurs ahead of a General Election.
"There is a lot of information out there already and we will try as best we can to ensure that the Opposition is prepared and the Civil Service is prepared for whatever decision is made by the British electorate at the next election," Sir Gus said.
21 July, 2008
MALAYSIA
Contract renewal criticised
The routine renewal of senior Public Servants’ contracts in Malaysia has been criticised by one of the country’s former Finance Ministers.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said the practice created cults of personality and promoted a cosy relationship between senior Officers and their political masters.
His remarks came as the Opposition Coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) continued to step up pressure on the Government to reconsider a second extension of service for the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
“This politicises the leadership of a Service that is supposed to promote by its own independent processes, Mr Tengku Razaleigh said.
“Those who are extended become, in effect, political appointees. This erodes the independence of the Service as a whole.”
He said the routine extension of services had resulted in a log jam and an extension for one person who ought to have retired was a promotion freeze for hundreds of others.
“Extension of service is meant to be an extraordinary measure but is now in danger of becoming the norm,” he said.
The Police Force Commission, which is constitutionally responsible for the appointment and placement of members of the police force, has backed a second extension of the service of Tan Sri Musa.
The move is especially controversial according to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as under Tan Sri Musa’s stewardship the crime rate has continued to soar.
Tan Sri Musa had reached retirement age two years ago, but received a two-year extension of his term.
This was controversial at the time as it came about after Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail ordered the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to close investigations on graft accusations against Tan Sri Musa for allegedly being involved in the release of members of illegal betting syndicates.
The Inspector-General was also accused last year by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of being involved in a plot to fabricate evidence during the 1998 investigation of the former Deputy Prime Minister’s beating case.
Mr Tengku Razaleigh said there were good reasons why bureaucrats should be rotated regularly.
“Since ancient China people have understood that officials too long incumbent are tempted to carve out empires for themselves,” he said.
21 July, 2008
UNITED STATES
Interns flock to Government service
A change of Government and the Global Financial Crisis have led to surge in the numbers of college students in the United States looking to take up internships with the Federal Public Service.
About 20,000 college students descend on Washington seeking internships every northern summer with roughly 6,000 finding positions working in the Houses of Congress on Capitol Hill.
Congressional Offices, Federal Agencies and political organisations across Washington report a surge in applicants and an increase in the numbers of interns they have taken on.
The same is true of the Federal Public Service.
A recent poll of interns conducted by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars credits the Administration of President Barack Obama for much of this increased popularity with 65 per cent of intern respondents saying they were more interested in entering Government this year because of him.
President of the Center, Mike Smith, said the first year of any new Presidential Administration was exciting for many people because it was often the time when most legislation is passed.
Another survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that difficult economic times also played a part with fewer than 20 per cent of 2009 college graduates securing employment, a six per cent drop on comparable figures from last year.
NACE said that as a result there was greater interest among graduates in not-for-profit organisations and the Government.
Mr Smith said college leavers were redirecting their focus toward internships with Federal Agencies with placements up 35 per cent from last summer.
“What we are seeing is a lot more interest in public service,” Mr Smith said. “Students who in the past would have been on Wall Street are now interested in Pennsylvania Avenue [Government].”
A student working for the Environmental Protection Agency, Ross Seavey, said he was initially interested in working in the not-for-profit sector in Washington but, after the presidential election, felt he had a better chance “to get more done” in a Federal Agency.
“There is a growing number of people who want to be involved, and people are seeing the best way to get involved is to actually get into the Government,” Mr Seavey said.
Even those Offices which expected a rise in intern applicants were surprised by how large it has been. The White House had roughly 6,000 applicants for about 100 positions, a near sixfold increase from the years of the previous Administration of President George W. Bush.
21 July, 2008
NIGERIA
Customs ‘no path
to quick riches’
New recruits to the Nigerian Customs Service have been warned to get a job elsewhere if they are hoping to ‘get rich quick’ by joining up.
Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Training College, Kano, Malam Ali Wakili made the warning while addressing 498 new recruits into the college and explaining that the erroneous impression about the Service is not true.
“I want to make it clear that the Service has zero tolerance for corruption and if any of you come in with the mentality of get rich quick, we enjoin such students to look elsewhere to actualise their dream,” Mr Malam Wakili, said.
He dismissed notions held be a section of the society that Customs personnel made money indiscriminately.
“I call on trainees to be conscious of the quest to rid our society of corrupt practices through the anti-graft campaign of President Umar Musa Yar’Adua - anyone found wanting will face the full wrath of the law,” he said
The Commandant of the Training College revealed that the trainees would be tutored on the history of the Custom Service, its Board, administration and duties. Also in the curriculum would be Government fiscal policies, taxation, tariff and excise laws and procedures, Civil Service rules and financial instruction.
He also urged the new recruits to be diligent and abstain from acts that could breach regulations laid down by the College.
Mr Malam Wakili said that due to certain problems the six-month course has been reduced to four months.
“It is my expectation that you will utilise the four months of your stay to learn to abide by simple instructions,” he said.
21 July, 2008
MALAYSIA
PS exchange program about to start
An exchange program between Public Servants and private sector managers in Malaysia is due to kick off soon according to the Director-General of the nation’s Public Service, Tan Sri Ismail Adam.
Tan Sri Ismail said a similar program had been in operation but had been stopped when the economy hit a slowdown.
“This time around, private sector employees will also be offered the opportunity of a secondment or attachment at Government offices,” Tan Sri Ismail said during a media conference.
During his first meeting with Public Servants after taking office as Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that Public Service and Government-linked companies could have staff exchanges under a move to restructure and modernise the Public Service.
Tan Sri Ismail said the program would be offered to middle-level management personnel.
“This will allow them to learn more about Government operations and give them more room and opportunities for networking,” he said.
Ismail said the Public Service Department of Malaysia was responsible for 10 different services.
“Although some may consider the Public Service ‘fat’ with its 1.2 million-strong staff, only 200,000 are involved in administration,” he said
Of these, 36 per cent were in the education field, 20 per cent in security – comprising police and armed forces personnel – and 12 per cent each in health and enforcement.
21 July, 2008
NAMIBIA
PS urged to pull
out the stops
The Public Service of Namibia has been warned against complacency and laziness by the Head of State.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba said the Government was mandated by the people to serve and therefore Public Servants should pull out all stops to ensure that services are delivered to the electorate.
The President gave the warning when he inaugurated the new Omaheke Regional Labour Office at Gobabis.
He said he was often presented with reports claiming that Public Servants were not keen on serving the people and said that such tendencies should cease immediately.
He further reprimanded councillors in the Gobabis region for not being responsive to the needs of the people, neglecting the plight of their constituency residents.
“The Government expects a well-paid Public Service to provide effective friendly and excellent service to the Namibian public,” President Pohamba said.
“We expect total commitment and hard work from everyone.”
The new labour office was constructed at a cost of $N3 million ($A465,000) and will house 10 officials whose duties will include mediation in labour disputes in the region. It will also be the regional centre for registration of social and disability grants, administer social welfare related services and provide vocational counselling to school leavers.
“By building this office complex, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare continues to give effect to the Government agenda to expand services to all regions in our country,” the President said.
“The expansion of the Ministry’s infrastructure is in line with our Government’s policy of decentralisation, designed to ensure that every Namibian citizen has equitable access to public services within a reasonable proximity of his or her place of residence.”
President Pohamba said the Labour Ministry’s mandate was to promote sound labour relations through the prevention and management of labour disputes to ensure stable and harmonious labour relations between workers and employers.
14 July, 2008
UNITED KINGDOM
Bid to boost PS volunteering
A report into volunteering in the UK Civil Service has led to a call for all Public Servants to be given five days a year off to work with charitable and needy organisations.
This view has been put forward by Baroness Neuberger, who has been appointed by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown to promote volunteering nationally.
Baroness Neuberger has made a number of recommendations in a review of employer-supported volunteering in the Public Service.
She said many Public Servants were already regular volunteers.
“Much of this is done in their own time,” she said.
“My research has shown that nearly all Departments have some form of volunteering policy, including paid time off to volunteer.
“However, few departments have reliable data on how many of their employees make use of this allowance formally.”
She said the report explored the difference between private sector and public sector attitudes to volunteering and found that in 2007, 36 per cent of employees outside the Public Service had an employer-supported volunteering scheme available to them.
“I believe passionately in the power of volunteering,” Baroness Neuberger said. “I would like to see all Public Servants taking part in volunteering activities, so that they understand it and lead by example.”
She said she recognised however that not all people shared this passion, and may be thinking, quite reasonably, ‘what is the business case for encouraging employee volunteering?’”
In her report, Baroness Neuberger said outreach and community engagement enabled the Government to be more responsive; volunteering in itself was a way of enabling practical learning and development and it boosted staff morale and built teams.
Welcoming the report, Mr Brown said employee volunteering in Government could help improve the way Government worked by enabling Public Servants to engage with and understand the needs of the public better and improve the services they offered as a result.
14 July, 2008
UNITED STATES
State pays in IOUs as finances in chaos
The State of California in the US has been forced to issue IOUs to its welfare recipients because the Government has failed to pass the Budget.
Treasurer, Bill Lockyer said California won't default on any of its bonds, which already have the lowest rating of any State in the United States.
He said the Administration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had forecast that the State will spend $US4.5 billion ($A5.8 billion) on debt service this year, but only $16 million ($A20.5 million) is due in July.
Negotiations between Governor Schwarzenegger and Republicans and Democrats in the State Legislature broke down and the deadline for passing the Budget passed.
Republicans want to eliminate welfare programs and call in Government health insurance for a million low-income children. Democrats want fewer reductions and suggest some tax increases instead to make up for the more than $US20 billion ($A25.6 billion) shortfall caused primarily because the recession reduced State revenue by 20 per cent.
Former Executive Director of the California State Board of Education, John Mockler blamed a cap on property taxes (Proposition 13) which was passed by the State Government in the 1970s.
“We've chosen mediocre public service and more private money; we've decided not to tax ourselves as much; we've basically turned our back on schools,” Mr Mockler said.
He said Proposition 13 was not the only tax measure that impacted on the Budget. Republicans had steadily cut taxes, while Democrats have tried to minimise cuts to social and education programs.
Instead of reaching a compromise on the matter, the State has funded its shortfall by issuing bonds.
As a result of so many bond issues on the market, many of the California municipal bonds are ranked at close to junk status and there is a possibility that the rest of the market will go into panic, prompting a flight from municipal bonds by investors.
14 July, 2008
UGANDA
Latecomers to be disciplined
Public Servants arriving late for work in Uganda could be reported to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and disciplined under a proposal put forward by the chair of Uganda’s Health Service Commission, George Kirya.
Professor Kirya, a former High Commissioner to Britain and former Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University, said there was a great need to inculcate a culture of time management amongst Ugandans, especially Public Servants.
“I don’t know whether time management is a disease amongst Ugandans and Africans. We must start considering referring the late comers to the IGG’s office for action,” Professor Kirya said
Professor Kirya was reacting to a presentation on recognising the value and virtue of service to community as part of the Africa Day of Civil Service and Public Administration celebrations.
He urged Public Servants to mentor the youth who joined the Public Service, although he said mentoring could not be done by those who didn’t know time management.
A consultant who spoke on behalf of young workers, Justus Rukundo, said many graduates shunned the Public Service because of the rudeness of some executive assistants.
“You may go to see a senior official and the secretary barks at you and even tells you to return after a week because the official is not around even though he can be seen in the office as the secretary speaks,” Mr Rukundo said.
He said some Public Servants leave their jackets on chairs to show they are around and dash off to attend to their personal businesses.
Deputy Premier and Public Service Minister, Henry Kajura, cautioned Public Servants against giving flimsy excuses for late coming.
“I was recently in Tanzania and Public Servants are in the office at 7am but here to get a Public Servant in the office by 8am is a problem,” Mr Kajura said.
14 July, 2008
MALAYSIA
Senior PS performance judged
The performances of Malaysian Ministers and their Ministries have been evaluated against National Key Results Areas (KRA) and National Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak is expected to announce the results soon.
However, the Prime Minister said he would not divulge some of the detailed information contained in the evaluations.
"This is a new approach to inject new optimism in efforts by the Government to effectively address major issues, develop and achieve the desired success," Tun Najib said.
He wanted the Public Service to enhance its performance, show commitment and improve its resources to succeed in developing the nation's strategic and focused key priorities.
The Prime Minister said that the understanding and cooperation between the administration and service sectors was important to provide good and efficient service that would benefit the people and the country.
"If we recap the history of the country, development and success have always brought about changes or helped resolve crisis and it is based on this special relationship between the Administration and the Public Service providers,” he said.
"So, to move forward, I want to emphasise the importance of strengthening this relationship and I will put forward the National Key Result Areas and National Key Performance Indicators.”
The relationship must be one that is spiritual and emotional and Public Servants must believe that the Government's agenda is the most viable for the country.
"I hope it won't be just a formal relationship between the Minister, Chief Secretary to the Government, Prime Minister and top Public Service officers alone - it should be more than that,” he said
"This is also not about winning the next general election, or trying not to lose it. It's about transformation, transforming Malaysia.”
14 July, 2008
SOUTH AFRICA
PS corruption could affect World Cup
The South African Public Service Commission has identified PS corruption as a potential threat to the smooth running of next year’s soccer World Cup in its country.
The Commission also mentioned capacity problems in the emergency services and the processing of huge numbers of visitors to the country as potential problem areas.
Releasing the eighth annual State of the Public Service report, Director General of the Commission, Odette Ramsingh said that despite progress, there were areas of concern.
The Commission found that on visits to police stations there was a lack of awareness among senior officials of the details of the National Safety Plan for the World Cup.
It found that although there had been public participation in the poster design for the competition, service delivery protests indicated that people wanted to be more involved in the formation of public policy.
Ms Ramsingh said the increase in business opportunities could also increase opportunities for corruption and bribery and the Commission had advised vigilance in this area.
“Although the level of reporting of financial interests is at 80 per cent, the Commission wants it to be at 100 per cent,” Ms Ramsingh said.
The Commission’s report said the construction industry was perceived to be the "dirtiest" in underhand activities.
The report noted that the Department of Home Affairs would increase the number of immigration officers to 1,668 from 814 to process visitors' travel documents.
However, the Department must ensure the credibility and quality of the documents, and improve the time it took to manage the entrance of visitors.
There was also concern over capacity problems in the Emergency Services with shortages of medical equipment and vehicles, and concerns over the response time of attending emergency calls.
14 July, 2008
UNITED KINGDOM
PS to escape pay freeze
The British Government has moved to ease fears of a pay freeze for the Public Service as a result of the Global Financial Crisis.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling said there was no question of reopening the three-year pay deals negotiated with the police, teachers and nurses, which won’t be in their third years until 2010-11.
Mr Darling’s reassurance was enforced by the Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron who said there would be no blanket freeze on public pay under a Conservative Government. Both the main parties, while preaching restraint, appeared anxious to avoid a clash with potential supporters and strike action from the unions that represent them.
It is expected that when Mr Darling delivers the Government’s evidence to the public sector pay review in the coming months he will ask them to take account of the low rate of inflation in making their recommendations for the year 2010-11.
But commentators said he would neither “send out a signal, trail, nor hint” that there would be a pay freeze. Sources are believed to have confirmed that there was no possibility of current three-year deals being reopened.
A spokesman for Prime Minister, Gordon Brown had earlier said Mr Brown shared the Chancellor’s view that public sector pay had to reflect prevailing conditions, and in particular the fact that inflation had come a long way down.
“Of course, we have got to be fair to people who work in the private sector as well as those in the public sector,” the spokesman said, “but contrary to speculation that does not mean there are any plans to reopen multi-year deals.”
The Opposition’s David Cameron acknowledged that pay settlements for public sector workers would be “much tighter” as the public finances were rebuilt, but a Conservative Government would stick by the existing system of public sector pay review bodies.
Chief Executive of the Audit Commission, Steve Bundred said that workers, including those in the National Health Service and education, would “tolerate” a freeze as they had “done well” over the past 10 years.
When Mr Cameron was asked if he would order a freeze on public sector pay, he said he didn’t think it was the right way to go.
“The way we do pay in this country in the public sector, rightly, is we have independent pay review bodies,” he said.
He said however that when making their recommendations, the pay review bodies would have to take into account developments in the private sector where many workers have had their pay frozen.
“Those bodies do have to look at what is happening in the private sector, where pay levels are very restrained.” he said.
“So, yes, you are going to see much tighter public sector pay settlements.”
General Secretary of the Trades Union Council, Brendan Barber said there would be a very strong reaction if the Government attempted to punish public sector workers for the private sector’s problems.
“We have seen a period in which there has been a real increase in investment in the public services. That’s not always been reflected in the pay and conditions of public service workers,” Mr Barber said.
“The idea that because the private sector has been facing such tough times we have almost got to punish the Public Service workers to ensure an equality of misery is absolutely wrong.”
14 July, 2008
NIGERIA
President assures PS no pay cuts
The President of Nigeria has assured Public Servants that plans to cut salaries and conditions for senior public officials would not affect Government workers
President Umar Yar’adua was inaugurating the new 2.5 billion naira ($A21.5 million) Public Service Secretariat in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He assured Public Servants that they would not be affected by pay cuts proposed by the Federal Government, saying the cuts would affect only political office holders.
Praising the construction of the Secretariat, the President said it symbolised a necessary move away from the tradition of running down the Public Service as corrupt and incompetent.
“I do not believe that maligning our Public Service is a productive endeavour,” President Yar’adua said.
“Rather, I believe that our Public Servants can compete with the best in the world and contribute more to national development if we give them the tools and the incentives to do so.
The task was to recruit and retain the best in the Public Service; provide them with the tools for their work and to continuously motivate them to be the best they can be in the service of the country.
“This administration is committed to tackling these challenges head on. This is because we are deeply convinced that no society can progress without an efficient and effective Public Service,” he said.
“To do this you must make the necessary investment.”
The President pledged to do this even in the face of dwindling resources.
He said the real importance of the new Secretariat was that it provided a more conducive environment for the all-important work that Public Servants did and should motivate them to give their utmost to the people of Ogun.
He appealed to Public Servants in the State to see the Secretariat as a good investment, and therefore make use of the facilities and be better inspired to deliver greater services for the advancement of the welfare of the people.
Governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel said the Secretariat was another milestone in the continuing efforts to improve the State.
The Secretariat consists of 500 offices, 12 conference rooms, a computer centre, a crèche, a clinic and cafeterias.
14 July, 2008
IRELAND
PS told to get ready to strike
Public Servants in Ireland are being warned that their pay, pensions and job security are under threat and that an industrial campaign may be necessary to defend their employment conditions.
General Secretary of the Public Service Union – Impact - Peter McLoone said the leadership had agreed to take steps to mobilise it so that members were prepared “to deal swiftly and decisively” with potential attacks on their employment in the weeks and months ahead.
“Inevitably, a campaign to protect core pay and conditions of employment will necessitate a ballot for industrial action,” Mr McLoone said.
“The Government proposals for economic recovery presented to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions contain inadequate progress on measures to save jobs and pensions.”
He said the situation was as bad, if not worse, from a Public Service point of view.
“The Government has not felt in a position to negotiate on the issues raised by Impact, which are a guarantee of no further reductions in Public Service pay; a guarantee of no reduction in the value of Public Service pensions, including a commitment not to tax the lump sum; and the need for an agreed protocol on Public Service employment issues,” he said.
“Impact has signalled that it is, in essence, prepared to offer a trade on Public Service reform and the Government’s change agenda in return for guarantees in relation to existing pay levels, pensions, including the current tax- free status of retirement lump sums, and a new framework on job security in the public sector.”
However, he believed the Government considered cuts in Public Service pay rates, the value of pensions, and employment tenure as live options in the run-up to the Budget.
“In the meantime, related and equally strong threats to Public Service pay, pensions and jobs could well emerge from the current reviews being undertaken for the Government by the Taxation Commission, the Higher Remuneration Body and the so-called ‘An Bord Snip’ (boards charged with reducing expenditure in the Public Service), all of which will report between July and September,” Mr McLoone said.
“The union’s industrial staff has been asked to brief branch committees on the situation that is emerging and branches will be asked to immediately arrange the mobilisation of members through workplace meetings.”
14 July, 2008
BHUTAN
Judiciary bound by Civil Service Act
A decision to exempt Bhutan’s Judiciary from the requirements of the nation’s Civil Service Act has been overturned by the National Assembly.
Judges are now no longer able to control their own organisational structure, budgetary requirements and appointment of personnel.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Jigme Tshultim said it was important to understand the principle and purpose of the Civil Service Act, which ensures parity, consistency and uniformity of personnel actions within all arms of the Government, constitutional bodies and autonomous agencies.
Some MPs still voiced concern over the decision and said that putting the constitutional agencies under the purview of the Civil Service Commission would create a barrier to their functions.
In a letter to the Assembly, Chief Justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye said it would be unconstitutional and a threat to the independence of the judiciary.
Mr Tshultim said the three branches of Government - Executive, Legislature and Judiciary - had flexibility on matters of promotion, transfer, termination and appointment, as long as they were ‘in line’ with basic Civil Service rules.
The Assembly also resolved that the three arms of Government could make their rules and regulations as long as they conformed to the Civil Service Act. The original Bill stated in its ‘rule-making clause’ that only the Civil Service Commission could make rules and regulations.
Minister for Economic Affairs, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk said that many hard working Public Servants were not being rewarded adequately under the previous regime.
He said they would be able to get accelerated promotion under the Act.
MPs also discussed at length the duties and rights of Public Servants and whether they should be allowed to engage in private trade and other employment.
Minister for Labour and Human Resources, Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi said if Public Servants were completely restricted from engaging in private trade or work, it could hamper the country’s economy.
However, the Assembly voted to restrict the Public Servants’ extra-curricular activities on the grounds that they were already employed and would take opportunities away from the unemployed.
14 July, 2008
INDIA
Call for higher teaching standards
A former President of India has called for the selection criteria and systems used to recruit and appoint Public Servants to be used to select the nation’s primary school teachers as well.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was speaking on Capacity Building in Young Minds while delivering a lecture in a series run by the Central Institute for Educational Technology (CIET).
He said that just as a future Public Servants has to sit a Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) preliminary examination then a main exam and then an interview, primary school teachers should go though the same process.
He also emphasised the need for a better system of evaluation for students.
“Schools are evaluated according to the performance of students but a paradigm shift is required where the way students are groomed is important,” Mr Kalam said.
“I believe teachers can play a very important role in this and also the curriculum (matters). For example, I am concerned with primary education… nobody has to take students to the schools, they rush to the schools.”
This was because of a more relaxed environment, where students were allowed to be creative, take part in art, painting and not feel pressured by teachers.
Director of the National Council of Education Research and Training, Krishna Kumar endorsed Mr Kalam’s views.
“Unless teachers take the initiative and don’t inculcate the natural endowment of children to be bold and different from one another – something will continue to lack in our system,” Mr Kumar said.
“Via the national curriculum 2005, we have tried to cease the current Darwinian system.
“Teachers and Education Department officials should commit to the child rather than the system.”
7 July, 2008
TURKEY
Options on table for PS reform
The Public Service in Turkey may be set for a radical overhaul with Labour Minister Ömer Dinçer considering two proposals to reform the nation’s PS.
One of the proposals involves introducing a two-tier Public Service - one tier, called the Executive Civil Service, would be chosen by the Government when it takes office but would leave when that Government’s term ends and the other, called the Government Civil Service, would be permanent.
Mr Dinçer said the Executive Civil Service would consist of high-level Public Servants such as Under Secretaries, Deputy Under Secretaries, General Directors and Supreme Board members.
According to this system, the elected Government would announce which Executive Public Servants it would work with, just as it does with members of the Cabinet. The Executive Public Servants would not have the right to sue a new Government if they were sacked when a new Government was elected.
The second group, Government Public Servants, would be in place to put a stop to the preferential treatment and partisanship currently involved in promotions. In this system the only criteria for promotion would be qualification.
The other project being examined by Mr Dinçer is based on systems that have been in use for many years in countries such as Japan, France and England. The system calls for the establishment of a Public Administrator Training Institute.
This Institute would accept students among Public Servants who successfully meet the qualifying criteria, and would train them for higher office. Promotions would be conditional on graduating from the institute, to be known as the KYYE in Turkish.
In the first level of the KYYE, Public Servants with seven to 10 years of service would sit an exam for the positions of Branch Manager or Departmental head. Those who progress will then enter the KYYE for three to six months.
At a second level, Branch Managers, Departmental heads and other officials with enough time served will sit an examination for the positions of General Manager or Deputy General Manager.
7 July, 2008
IRELAND
Taxpayers hit with PS pensions bill
A total of 14 Public Service and university superannuation schemes in Ireland have been transferred from the public sector into the nation’s National Pensions Reserve Funds (NPRF).
The move means that Irish taxpayers will now foot the bill for PS pension payments in their country.
The Opposition Labour Party branded the decision an "accountancy trick," saying the price to the taxpayer could be severe as it would buoy the financial position of the NPRF in the short term while exposing it to long-term risks.
The most recent valuation of the NPRF showed it was €15.5 billion ($A27.1 billion) in the black, but the imported new liabilities threaten up to a fifth of that current position.
The various schemes currently have assets of €1.75 billion, ($A3.05 billion) but liabilities are assessed at nearly double that amount.
More than 9,200 individual workers are current contributors to the university funds, with a further 3,687 existing pensioners or departed members on deferred pensions.
The Department of Finance said it also intended to add pension funds at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) to the Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill now going through the Dail (Parliament).
Labour's Finance Spokeswoman, Joan Burton complained that the schedule of public body pension funds had been received only an hour-and-a-half before the legislation was introduced.
"In what Parliament in the world would one have the taking-over of assets of €1.75 billion to give the national balance sheet a bit of an initial boost where some of the pensions funds have a deficit of more than 50 per cent," she asked.
Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan later told the Dail that the pension schemes of the five older universities and some of the non-commercial State-sponsored bodies were unique in terms of their structure and relationship with the State.
"The covered universities have part-funded pension schemes, with retirement lump sums and basic pensions paid from them, while post-retirement increases are paid by the State,” he said.
“All funded schemes in the Public Service must now meet minimum funding standards under European Union law, unless they are effectively guaranteed by the State.”
7 July, 2008
INDIA
Air safety upgrade ordered
The Indian Department of Civil Aviation is to strengthen its regulatory regime and upgrade safety systems following demands from international aviation authorities.
A statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had developed an effective strategy to strengthen regulatory mechanisms and safety oversight systems.
“This has been done to comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommendations,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
“To meet international safety obligations, the DGCA has carried out a corrective action plan, according to which the Government has approved the revival of 132 lapsed technical positions and approved creation of 427 new technical positions.”
An FAA team had visited India in March to assess the situation and had asked India to strengthen the safety of its aviation sector by June.
The FAA told the DGCA that it had not strengthened its regulatory mechanism in proportion to the explosive growth in numbers of domestic airlines and flights.
While air traffic in India has grown significantly in the past five years, the DGCA has actually seen its staff strength drop. The Government has now sanctioned more than 700 technical positions for the DGCA.
The FAA will soon hold final discussions with the DGCA to review progress made on the recommendations.
Failing to meet global aviation standards set by the ICAO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, could lead to a downgrade of Indian carriers and airports by the FAA, resulting in Indian carriers flying to the US being put under the scanner by authorities there.
India has so far complied with 54 of the 70 recommendations of the ICAO, which had audited India’s safety oversight system in October 2006 under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).
7 July, 2008
UNITED STATES
PS slashed as Michigan fights GFC
The State of Michigan in the US is to cut its 18 State Departments down to eight, drastically reform its entire Public Service system, start developing Public Private Partnerships and inject technology into every aspect of public administration as it fights to remain viable in the face of the Global Financial Crisis.
The reforms are the work of the State’s Lieutenant Governor, John Cherry and were necessary after Michigan underwent the steepest decline in revenue in at least a half century with unemployment rising to 14.1 per cent.
The State Legislature is already moving ahead with plans to combine two Public Service Departments, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Governor Jennifer Granholm said reform was necessary to meet the needs of the new economic realities.
“We won’t settle for 9-to-5 government in a 24-7 world,” she said.
In May, the State’s tax revenue forecasts were revised to estimate a 23 per cent one-year decline and the Governor ordered compulsory furlough days for State employees.
The Legislature is struggling to settle on a Budget by October. 1. Environmental regulation is among the first targets for serious slicing and dicing.
Both branches of the Legislature are working toward combining the DNR and DEQ, with House and Senate lawmakers recently passing appropriation measures slashing the budget of the new Agency.
The primary sponsor of the House bill to combine the DEQ and DNR, Democrat Mike Lahti, said fusing the two Departments’ facilities and administration could save the State up to $US2 million ($A2.5 million) a year.
However, the DEQ Director when it was formed in 1995, Russ Harding, said the savings would be far less than that because it may only involve the elimination of a couple of top administrative positions.
Merging the two Departments was just “rearranging deck chairs,” he said.
7 July, 2008
NIGERIA
New deal urged for disabled
The Head of the Nigerian Civil Service Federation, Stephen Oronsaye has called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies to make allowances for people with disabilities.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetA" ); Speaking at a Forum for people with disabilities in the Federal Public Service, Mr Oronsaye directed all the Public Service entities to establish "disability desks”.
He commended staff with physical disabilities for their numerous contributions to the development of the Public Service and the nation.
“In an era when some persons with far less physical challenges choose to depend on handouts, you have dared to be different by earning your wages, and our admiration,” Mr Oronsaye said.
"The management of the Federal Public Service is unmindful of the fact that many Public Servants with physical challenges are as hard working as their other physically unchallenged colleagues.”
He said management was ever-ready to assist physically challenged Public Servants maximise their potential and called on the private sector to do likewise.
President of the National Civil Service Association of Persons with Disabilities, Daniel Modozie called on the Federation to address some key problems.
He said the Association needed office accommodation for its Secretariat and urged special disability allowances be made to members to help with the cost of transportation and that they should have access to low-cost housing schemes.
7 July, 2008
INDONESIA
Embassy services to be showcased
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has launched an international exhibition on public services in Jakarta to raise awareness of the services available at the Department’s embassies.
The exhibition is taking places at the Kartika Expo Centre in Jakarta.
The embassy services have won the Foreign Ministry awards for high standards, and the Government is anxious to showcase them amid the current blast of criticisms about the Government's slow response to Indonesian migrant workers in need of help.
The exhibition is being held as part of the Ministry's institutional reforms initiated by Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirajuda nine years ago.
Mr Hassan said the reforms were needed to ensure that Indonesian migrants, mostly working in informal sectors, could obtain better protection while staying abroad.
The Government was dealt a great blow after a series of cases about the abuse of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia and the Middle East were revealed.
Reports of mistreatment, such as physical abuse and the withholding of salaries, are common as migrants are mostly sent overseas without proper education and a lack of information about where to seek protection and assistance in case of irregularities.
The exhibition also hosted a talk show featuring Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore, Wardhana, Ambassador to Malaysia, Da'i Bachtiar, Foreign Ministry Director for Migrant Protection and Legal Assistance, Teguh Wardoyo, Executive Director of Migrant Care, Anis Hidayah and ex-migrant workers in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
7 July, 2008
ZAMBIA
PS warned to stay above politics
Public Servants in Zambia have been warned against taking part in partisan politics.
Permanent Secretary for the Copperbelt Province, Villie Lombanya said such actions destabilise the implementation of Government its policies and programs.
Speaking during a ceremony to mark Africa Public Service Day, Mr Lombanya said Public Servants should remain non-partisan regardless of their political, religious, social and cultural beliefs.
“A stable labour force will attract investment for the country’s sustainable growth, and President [Rupiah] Banda’s Administration is determined to ensure that the Public Service becomes efficient and responsive to the country’s development agenda,” Mr Lombanya said.
“Quality service delivery is indispensable in a nation whose agenda is to develop, but quality service delivery may elude us if we do not provide an enabling environment of doing first things first.”
Mr Lombanya said Public Service workers need to serve the public with integrity by fulfilling their lawful obligations with a high degree of professionalism.
“Integrity demands that an officer should not, among other things, use his or her position to serve personal interests,” he said.
“Honesty should be a matter of principle to avoid misuse of material, financial and human resources.”
In a separate address, Permanent Secretary of the North-Western Province, Eustern Mambwe urged Public Servants to be innovative, creative and to work with civility in ensuring that they deliver services to people.
Dr Mambwe said with decentralisation programs progressing, North-Western Province would be the focus of development.
“The Province is growing and there are many challenges that come with such development,” Dr Mambwe said.
The Public Service will be part of the solution to these challenges.”
He appealed to public servants to continue serving the people with integrity, respect and diligence.
Permanent Secretary of the Southern Province, Darius Hakayobe said he was aware of the difficult circumstances that Public Servants work under but urged them to remain committed to their work.
7 July, 2008
BELIZE
International PS Day celebrated
Government Departments in Belize have marked International Public Service Day by opening booths to the public displaying the services they provide and by conducting special PS-related celebrations.
Coordinator of this year’s activities, Elsie Castillo said the week was not just set aside to display services offered by the PS Departments.
“Not only do Public Servants celebrate Public Service Day but they also come out together for community outreach to the public,” Ms Castillo said.
“We encourage people to come here and witness the different booths that we have on display. We also want them to continue to support the Public Service.”
Addressing Public Servants on the Day, Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega said he shared the officers’ sentiment that it was not only important to do their respective jobs properly but to do them professionally, efficiently and as transparently as possible.
“Basically what we are trying to do is encourage all public officers, recognising them for their hard work, for their commitment in making sure that the people of Belize get the service that they deserve,” Mr Vega said.
“We have to ensure that we encourage them by motivating them and letting them know that we appreciate what they do.”
Mr Vega said he believed the Public Service’s whole attitude was changing and the Government encouraged this process.
“We want more positive results from the Public Service leadership to ensure that professionalism, transparency and accountability is enforced,” he said.
“As important, if not more important, is that fact that the new leadership is recognising the Public Service for the work that they do.”
The Deputy Prime Minister said that a better Belize could only be brought about by a more efficient and better run Public Service.
“However, we also need to recognise the Public Service for the good work it already does.”
7 July, 2008
SOUTH AFRICA
State PS hit by wave of strikes
The Eastern Cape of South Africa is experiencing a spate of Public Service strikes as doctors, Parliamentary staff, administrators and unions demand wage increases and the payment of overdue entitlements.
Work in the Bhisho Legislature came to a halt after a dispute over payment of performance bonuses involving the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union.
Legislature spokesman, Zukisa Nduneni said the group had staged a sit-in, voicing their dissatisfaction with the non-implementation of performance appraisals due on June 17.
“An agreement had been reached between management and the union for work to be resumed,” Ms Nduneni said.
Administrative work at the Port Elizabeth Education Department district offices had also come to a halt after administration staff and clerks in public schools staged a sit-in following a dispute over non-payment of outstanding benefits going back to July 1999.
A spokesman said the protest would continue indefinitely.
The Education Department’s Loyiso Pulumani said the Province had already taken steps to pay substantial amounts to those owed benefits.
Health activities at the Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex’s two main hospitals, Livingstone and Dora Nginza, were in chaos after about 100 doctors downed tools. Scores of outpatients were told to go home without treatment.
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) and representatives of Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi were negotiating over the strike.
The protest by interns, medical officers, community service doctors, chief medical practitioners and consultants meant only emergency services and treatment of critically ill patients were continuing..
Doctors all over the country are demanding a 50 per cent salary increase. The Eastern Cape Government has tabled an offer of a sliding scale which would mean the lowest paid workers receiving a 53 per cent increase.
This is almost double its original offer made in April.
7 July, 2008
GUAM
Officers probed after escape plot
At least 15 Corrective Services Officers at Guam’s Mangilao Prison Compound have been called on to explain themselves after a foiled escape attempt from the facility’s Maximum Security Special Housing Unit.
The Officers face claims they were negligent in their duty, ignorant of Departmental rules and regulations with some being charged with conspiring with inmates to plan the break out.
Director of the Department of Corrections, J.B. Palacios said at least 15 Officers had been in some way or another either direct participants or not diligent in the enforcement of existing policies.
“A couple of them have been served notices of proposed adverse action as the Department seeks criminal indictments against them,” Mr Palacios said.
He said he was working with the Attorney General's Office to have some of the Officers involved in the actual foiled escape attempt charged with attempted escape, promoting prison contraband, criminal conspiracy and official misconduct.
"We have to be cognisant of the 60-day rule with [the Civil Service Commission], so on the administrative side we want to make sure they are no longer employed with the Department but on the criminal conviction that they are no longer employed by the Government of Guam,” Mr Palacios said.
“This is to ensure these individuals don't go somewhere else and continue to violate the public's trust.”
The Director said that until criminal charges are imposed, he could not release the names of the Officers who had been implicated. The other Officers who were found to have violated Department policies had been served notices to appear for further questioning.
Last month, Department of Corrections officials received information that a convicted murderer, Frank Pangelinan, was planning to escape.
During a search of the compound and cells, officials confiscated two cell phones, numerous homemade weapons and a powdery substance believed to be intended for making alcohol.
Mr Palacios said that as far as contraband coming in to the prison was concerned, the search had been narrowed down to the couple of Officers who have been served notice of proposed adverse action against them.
The Officers continued to work for the Department but those allegedly involved in the foiled escape plot have been assigned to areas away from inmates.