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Saturday 31 December 2011

Serulagilagi Pleased with 2011


(Friday 30th December, 2011 No:2316/PSC) PSC PLEASED WITH 2011 OUTCOMES
In terms of its contribution to reforms, changes and improvements in service delivery during 2011, the Public Service Commission is indeed highly satisfied and pleased.

PSC chairman Mr Josefa Serulagilagi made the comments as the commission reflected on its achievements for the year.

Mr Serulagilagi said the civil service had a workforce of nearly 27,000 and obviously this was a large workforce, given the size of our country and the limited fiscal resources at our disposal.

The salaries and wages bill in the civil service constitutes 37 per cent of total revenue, and 42 per cent of total operating expenses of the State. In accordance with international standards, these statistics are considered high.

Mr Serulagilagi stated that “while there have been mixed results so far, in terms of reducing the size of the civil service, or for that matter attaining a reduction in its operating costs, I can confidently say that we have been able to contain the growth in both these areas.  In the last three years, the size of civil service has not increased whatsoever.”

“We have also been able to contain the wages and salaries bill and operating costs of the service through the stringent imposition of certain controls and improved reporting, monitoring and compliance.”

The chairman said these were commendable achievements because the unchecked increases in the size and costs of the civil service of the past were now no longer in existence.

The commission over the last 12 months has placed major emphasis on human resource development; improving ethics and discipline; organisational reviews to determine core roles, functions and optimum size of government ministries and departments; and improving efficiencies and productivity throughout the civil service.

“These are areas where magic formulas do not exist and where overnight results cannot be obtained,” Mr Serulagilagi said.

“I, however, can say with confidence that the building blocks have been firmly put in place, and there exists a vast reservoir of political commitment from Government to effect the best from these vital  changes and reforms.

“The year 2012 will see the PSC working on maximizing gains from the reforms implemented up to this point in time. The commission will delve deeper into effecting changes to bring about increased levels of efficiency and productivity. It will prioritise the finalisation of the framework and related details for progressing the implementation of a productivity-based pay system in 2013.”  

As the year comes to an end, the PSC chairman conveyed his appreciation to all public servants for their continued commitment and hard work towards achieving the targets set in ministries, departments and agencies as part of their respective Corporate Plans and Individual Work Plans.  

He also offered his well wishes to all civil servants and their families for continued success in their personal and professional lives in 2012.

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