SearchArchives for February 2009
24 February, 2009MALAYSIA
PS blamed for stalled stimulus package
The Malaysian Prime Minister has called on the nation’s Public Service to implement the Government’s RM7 billion ($A2.9 billion) economic stimulus package quickly.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the PS should act as an
agent of economic recovery and give effect to the much-needed plans without delay.
Datuk Seri Abdullah said the stimulus package, which was introduced last November could only lift economic growth when the projects were actually underway.
He said the projects would boost the construction and manufacturing sectors, preventing the retrenchment of workers.
"This will lighten the people's burden and prevent negative reactions towards the Government," he said.
Datuk Seri Abdullah, who is also Defence Minister, said the country's economy would become more vibrant if local factory products were utilised for public sector projects.
"It is, therefore, important that the public sector quickly implement its projects, for which big sums were allocated under the stimulus package,” he said.
“However, the allocations have not been fully utilised."
He said even if the allocations had not been used up in the busy end-of-year season of November and December, they should have been implemented by this month.
A second, more sizeable, economic stimulus package was due to be announced in the current Parliamentary session and he hoped this would spur the Public Service to work harder to ensure all allocations under the present package were spent.
Datuk Seri Abdullah said it was the Government's policy that the private sector should be the catalyst for the country's economic growth.
"But, in the present economic situation, the private sector is unable to play its role fully in accordance with the Government's aspirations.
"It is at this time that the public sector should play its role as the engine of economic recovery with the speedy implementation of the stimulus package projects."
He also called on the Defence Ministry to embark on the remaining 30 per cent of the projects it has yet to implement to improve facilities and purchase equipment for the armed forces.
"I instructed my Ministry's Secretary-General to form a committee to work out a plan to expedite the outstanding projects," he said.
24 February, 2009
FIJI
Most miss out on PS payrise
A pay increase for the Fijian Public Service announced by the interim Government is only expected to flow to about 7 per cent of the public workforce.
PS unions are blaming a recent job evaluation exercise for further widening the gap between rich and poor, with just 1,550 of the 22,703 employees on the PS payroll receiving increases.
The unions have filed a trade dispute with the Labour Ministry citing constitutional breaches of the collective bargaining agreement. They want the Public Service Commission (PSC) to negotiate and hold up the implementation of the Job Evaluation Report 2003, which has been used as the basis for the increases.
The PSC says increases will go to workers in the SSO2 grade and above or senior administration officers and above. This means the 3 per cent pay rise from 1 January covers only 200 senior administration officers, 142 principal administration officers, 101 chief administration officers, 34 directors and 64 deputy secretaries.
Nurses receive increases of 4 per cent and 3 per cent depending on their levels. Pharmacists and dentists have also gained substantial increases of up to 28 per cent.
Fiji Public Service Association General Secretary Rajeshwar Singh slammed the haphazard way the Job Evaluation Report recommendations were being implemented.
“[It] will create relativity anomalies and the gap between the salaries of lower paid civil servants and those at higher grade will show greater disparity than ever," he said.
"We have been informed [that] a merit payment based on performance will be paid to those recommended to get the increase for good performance in 2008.
“The exercise is not complete and there is a sudden rush to get the list out as [a] priority," he said.
24 February, 2009
NEW ZEALAND
PS cap becomes PS cuts
The New Zealand Government has modified its promise to ‘cap’ Public Service numbers by announcing it now intends to ‘cut’ them.
The Opposition Labour Party’s State Services Spokesman, Grant Robertson, said the change in terminology by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett only served to heighten the fears of staff at Ms Bennett’s Ministry.
Mr Robertson said Ms Bennett told Radio New Zealand she was looking to cut staff numbers by 5 per cent.
“She has also not ruled out further layoffs. [Prime Minister] John Key’s promise to cap Public Service staffing looks to be a thing of the past.”
He said the Minister’s claim that the previous [Labour] Government initiated staffing cuts at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) was not true.
“The MSD, in its briefing to the incoming Minister, stated it was planning reducing staffing levels by ‘upwards of 5 per cent’, but Labour did not sign off on that,” Mr Robertson said.
He said the ruling National Party needed to be honest and open about its plans for the Public Service.
“Cutting staff at the MSD at a time when over a thousand people a week will be joining the ranks of the unemployed just doesn’t make sense,” he said.
“It’s time National came up with a real plan to protect jobs, and it could start by sticking to its pre-election policy and reassuring Public Servants they will continue to have one,”
24 February, 2009
BANGLADESH
Study reveals PS politicisation
An independent study of the Judiciary and Public Service of Bangladesh has found that they were both “highly politicised” and likely to take 20 years to clean up.
The American-based, not-for-profit organisation which tracks governance and corruption trends around the world, Global Integrity said Bangladesh citizens were well aware of the problem and in 2007 protested against the extension of a Caretaker Government’s mandate until December 2008 following elections.
"Citizen engagement and voter participation were high… yet the limited effectiveness of the Electoral Commission detracted from the legitimacy of a national election," the study said.
"The state of emergency only increased Government pressure on media outlets who were “regularly being monitored, threatened and intimidated by the personnel of armed forces and various intelligence agencies,” the report said.
Global Integrity said several countries had experienced gains or backsliding since its last report in 2007.
Important anti-corruption improvements were noted in Bangladesh and Nigeria; in China, a more positive assessment was linked to the introduction of a new regulation granting citizens access to Government information.
It identified the unregulated flow of money into the political process as a major corruption threat facing a majority of countries.
"For the third straight year, poor transparency around the financing of political parties and candidates was the weakest element of most countries' anti-corruption frameworks," it said.
"If we're serious about rolling back corruption and abuse of power in both the developed and developing worlds, more effective safeguards to curb the influence of money in politics are desperately needed."
24 February, 2009
GHANA
ICT to be decentralised
The Government of Ghana has announced a policy of decentralising its Information and Communications Technology to ensure effective implementation, especially at the local level.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Communications, Kwaku Ofosu-Adarkwa said the policy was necessary because many e-Government projects initiated under the governance transformation processes failed to achieve their desired outcomes, notwithstanding huge investments.
Speaking at a workshop on digital literacy organised by the Ministry of Communications in collaboration with Microsoft, Mr Ofosu-Adarkwa said the program would help participants use computer technology to develop social and economic opportunities that would promote the Government's businesses.
“The training has become necessary to bridge the ICT supply gap within the public and the Public Service and position them for the implementation of a comprehensive electronic Government program to improve service delivery,” Mr Ofosu-Adarkwa said.
The Ministry of Communications would work with the Office of the Head of Civil Service to ensure the program operated efficiently.
He called on participants to become change agents in the governance transformation process.
“This is why I wish to request that all of you actively participate in the course modules outlined under the digital literacy curriculum,” he said.
Regional Development Manager for Microsoft in Ghana, Okay Ice said the training for system administrators would be carried out during March.
Microsoft was poised to help developing countries in the use of ICT to achieve Government efficiency.
24 February, 2009
MALAYSIA
PS vacancies earmarked for unemployed
The Government of Malaysia has announced it has 45,000 Public Service vacancies, many of which could be taken by people from the private sector who had lost their jobs in the global economic crisis.
Tabling the figures before Parliament, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator T. Murugiah, said he would be meeting with the Public Service Commission, the body charged with interviewing and recruiting for the Public Service, to consider ways of alleviating the problem – including the possiblity of non-Malays being considered for jobs.
Senator Murugiah said many vacancies had occurred through promotion or retirement. “There has also been some restructuring of Government Agencies, which may see more vacancies and demand for more staff from the Ministries,” he said.
Earlier, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam that there were 20,000 vacancies in the civil service and that there would be more recruitment of non-Malays.
Senator Murugiah said of the 827,540 Malays who applied for positions in the Government in 2007, 41,117 were successful; 2,286 Chinese of the 17,443 applicants got jobs and 2,367 of the 24,815 Indians who applied were successful. Currently there were about 1.2 million civil servants in the country.
Director-General of the Public Service Department, Tan Seri Ismail Adam, advised university graduates having difficulty finding jobs to look into joining the Government sector. He said they should check JobsMalaysia, the online job-matching service maintained by the Human Resources Ministry, or the Department’s website.
The offer was also open to those from the private sector who had lost their jobs.
Speaking after the launch of the Overseas Government Agencies and Representatives Workshop in Putajaya, Tan Seri Ismail said there were 20,000 secretarial jobs as well as vacancies for teachers and police.
24 February, 2009
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Satisfaction with salaries low in PS
A survey of professions and workplaces in the United Arab Emirates has revealed the Public Service to be among those providing the least salary satisfaction to their employees.
The PS was ranked alongside education, academia, transport and travel. The most highly satisfied workers were in the oil, gas and petrochemicals sectors.
The survey, conducted by market research firm YouGovSiraj found most UAE professionals received an average 15 per cent salary increase in the past year and expected a 16 per cent raise in the next 12 months.
The cost of living in the Emirates is running at 37 per cent.
According to the survey, the UAE has some of the biggest earners in the Gulf region with 20 per cent of respondents saying they earned between $US5,000 ($A7,700) and $US10,000 ($A15,400) per month, and seven per cent earning $US10,000 and above.
Despite the massive fall and subsequent stability of oil prices at low levels over the past year, salaries within the industry have seemingly been unaffected.
The report showed that salary satisfaction was running low across the Middle East. Just seven per cent of the UAE residents said they were highly satisfied with their remuneration, with similar figures registering with other Gulf Cooperation Council States.
However, Manager of the Human Resources Consultancy, Spengler Fox, Tel Rashid said professionals who had proved their calibre were still managing to get rises.
Contrary to perception, people in the medium-income groups were also able to find jobs at higher salaries.
The study additionally revealed that across the Middle East, 77 per cent of residents felt they have been hard hit by the global economic crisis, with just 24 per cent of people in the UAE stating they have felt no effects.
Egyptians – 81 per cent – were the hardest hit among the surveyed countries, while least affected was Oman, with more than a third – 37 per cent – saying they had not been affected.
24 February, 2009
ZIMBABWE
PS to be paid is US dollars
Public Servants in Zimbabwe are to be paid in US Dollars.
Announced by the new Unity Government last week, the move will affect the nation’s soldiers, teachers, police and other public employees.
Newly-appointed Finance Minister, Tendai Biti introduced US Dollar vouchers for 130,000 solidiers, teachers, police and other Public Servants.
However the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), whose members are on strike for more pay, described the move as ridiculous and said their strike would continue.
Mr Biti said State employees would receive a minimum of $US100 ($A154) this month, redeemable at designated banks.
“We have to get Zimbabwe working again,” he said. “Getting teachers to school is part of efforts to get Zimbabwe to work again, having examination papers being marked is part of having Zimbabwe work again.”
The move has become necessary because rampant inflation has rendered the Zimbabwe dollar worthless. A police officer guarding the Russian Embassy said his pay last month totalled 30 trillion Zimbabwe dollars which would not buy a single banana.
The Government, headed by President Robert Mugabe, announced three months ago that it was allowing foreign currency to be used alongside the Zimbabwe dollar.
Mr Biti said there was enough cash in the banks to service the vouchers for two months. After that he expected improved inflows of hard currency to be sufficient to pay the 130,000 salaries.
Secretary General of PTUZ, Raymond Majongwe, said the $US100 voucher plan did not come close to the union’s claim of $US2,300 ($A3,500)a month for its members.
“The $US100 is only enough to buy food for you and your wife, what about the children’s food and school fees?” he said.
“If they say they don’t have money they should give us a figure of what they have then we [will] negotiate on that amount.
“Until they pay teachers decent salaries, the fight for better salaries will continue. Teachers will not go back to school.”
24 February, 2009
CANADA
Province’s job cuts a last resort
The Government of the Canadian Province of British Columbia has promised to try to avoid layoffs in the public sector as it slashes spending on almost everything except health, education and key social services.
Premier, Gordon Campbell said job cuts were the last resort for the Government preparing to fight off its first recession in almost 30 years.
Finance Minister Colin Hansen outlined a savings strategy that targeted travel expenses, consultant contracts and advertising. However, he said 33 senior executive positions would have to go.
He believed this would save $C1.9 billion ($A2.3 billion) but if this was not sufficient up to 1,600 full-time and auxiliary jobs would be at risk.
However, the Government maintains this is a worst-case scenario, with Mr Campbell saying that a significant amount of any cuts would come through attrition.
Despite the Premier’s reassurances, Government workers worry that the cuts will mean job losses, with the President of the British Columbia Government and Service Employees’ Union, Darryl Evans saying there were thousands of vacancies within the Government as it was.
“Vacancies are actual jobs,” he said. “There should be real people in real jobs.”
“If we’re not looking at filling those, if we’re not looking at attracting more people, then we are looking at a reduction of services, period.”
The Government said it was planning to spend $C14 billion ($A17.3 billion) in new and continuing capital projects that would generate 88,000 jobs throughout the Province. Those projects, to begin within 90 days and then expedited as quickly as possible, included highways and bridges
24 February, 2009
SINGAPORE
Plan to export e-Government expertise
The Government of Singapore has unveiled a new marketing entity to export its e-Government expertise around the world.
IDA International has been created as a subsidiary of Singapore's ICT regulator, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and will focus on collaborating with overseas public sector agencies to develop and manage major ICT projects.
The new entity’s expertise is claimed to include infocomm planning and e-government consultancy. It is expected to explore partnerships in Asia, the Middle East, South Africa, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Chief Executive Officer of IDA International, Seah Chin Siong, predicted many countries could benefit from Singapore’s ICT experience and expertise.
"Singapore is in a unique position to assist these countries in areas such as national infocomm planning, Government Chief Information Office (GCIO) capability development, ICT industry development and human capital development, amongst others,” he said.
The new organisation has already signed agreements with several local companies, which it will involve in its foreign engagements.
Chairman of the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation, Tan Yen Yen said the formation of IDA International helped to "internationalise" the local ICT industry, opening up new opportunities for companies.
"Through IDA International's engagement with overseas markets, Singapore infocomm companies can now leverage on the opportunities that previously may not have been available," she said.
"The e-Government Chapter of SiTF will collaborate closely with IDA International to play an important role in accelerating Singapore ICT industry and gain greater recognition for Singapore innovative solutions and services in the global market."
17 February, 2009
IRELAND
Call to cut PS salaries
Differences in salary and entitlements between the public and private sectors in Ireland have sparked calls for Public Service salaries to be cut by a minimum 10 per cent.
Jim Walsh, MP with the Fianna Fail Party in the Seanad Eireann (Upper House) of the Irish Parliament, said the divide that was developing could accelerate Ireland’s economic difficulties and possibly lead to national insolvency.
“The pensions we have are unsustainable,” Mr Walsh said.
“The extra contribution we are now making towards pensions, in my opinion, does not go near to meeting the cost of them.”
As well as calling for a minimum 10 per cent pay cut, Mr Walsh urged a reduction in Public Service numbers by at least 15 per cent, claiming this could be done by dismissing “the people who are not performing in the Public Service”.
An Independent Member, Ronan Mullen, said after hearing representatives of the Civil Public and Services Union speaking on the radio, he wondered whether some union leaders realised the gravity of the situation.
“The message has to go out loud and clear that going on strike will not achieve anything and is incompatible with the spirit of solidarity that is required,” he said
However, he thought there was a case for eventual compensation for those being asked to take a disproportionate share of the sacrifice.
17 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
Flexible hours plan applauded
Moves by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to introduce a pilot flexible working hours scheme have been described as showing “fresh thinking “ and “courage.”
The plan would allow workers Agency-wide to take one day a fortnight off, but without carry-over credits.
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said the scheme would provide flexibility to working families, reduce the travel-related costs of commuting and cut down on energy use.
Mr Grannis said the plan was part of a continuing search by the DEC to improve the productivity of its employees.
“Through a compressed work schedule, we can increase work efficiency, boost employee morale and, at the same time, reduce the environmental impacts of commuting,” he said.
A DEC employee interested in taking part in the program must submit an application to their immediate supervisor, including a copy of the proposed 10-day schedule, start time, end time and proposed day off.
Under the compressed schedule, the number of hours an employee would work would increase from 7.5 to eight during the work week when a day off was not taken and from 7.5 to 8.75 hours during the week when the day off occurs.
The new program, which will be offered to all DEC employees, including those in regional offices, has won praise from the Civil Service Employees’ Association with President Danny Donohue saying the DEC deserves enormous credit.
"It represents fresh thinking and courage to try new approaches that will improve labour-management relations and better serve the public,” he said.
“It is in everyone's best interest.”
17 February, 2009
UGANDA
PS in line for salary increase
Salary increases for all Public Servants in Uganda have been proposed by the Ministry of Public Service to deal with rising costs of living.
A Ministry spokesman said a five per cent across-the-board salary rise would be scheduled from July.
“It has been provided for in the 2009-10 financial year Budget [and] is to cater for inflationary tendencies in the economy,” the spokesman said.
Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi said there had been internal discussions on the matter and it was understood that officials of the Finance and Public Service Ministries had been holding a series of consultations over the past two months and a decision to increase Public Servants’ salaries had been taken.
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics recently announced that annual inflation in the country was running at 14.3 per cent annually.
Government officials admitted the salary review was prompted in part by a newspaper report which showed substantial salary differences between Public Servants and other professionals in Government service, as well as political appointees.
The salary increases will see doctors’ minimum gross pay rise from 626,181 Ugandan shillings (A$48,350) to 657,490shs (A$50,770), still significantly less than the 2,000,000shs (A$154,432) earned by politically-appointed Resident District Commissioners.
The Government has allocated 401 billion shillings (A$310 million) for its wage and salary bill in the current financial year.
The proposed wage rise comes amid concerns that the economic slowdown in many Western economies will lead to falling tax revenues within Uganda.
17 February, 2009
KENYA
Concerns over wrong statistics
The Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics has been accused of failing to count the population of the country’s North Eastern region correctly, consequently impacting on the development of the region.
Community leaders from the north east have disputed the Bureau’s population estimates, dismissing them as wrong and saying they were denying the region its development targets.
Minister for Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands, Ibrahim Elmi Mohamed, said he was concerned at the implications for the development of the region.
“It is clear that any country that is unable to properly manage its population cannot achieve any meaningful development,” Mr Mohamed said.
Assistant Minister for Public Service, Ahmed Aden Sugow, said no census since Kenya gained it independence in 1963 had been able to correctly gauge the population of the North Eastern region. He said he believed the actual population was double the figure used by the Constituency Development Fund to allocate resources
Assistant Minister for Livestock, Bare Aden Duale, disputed the Government’s 97,000 population figure for the North Eastern Provincial Capital of Garissa, saying that the real population was more than 400,000.
The leaders were speaking during the North Eastern Leaders’ Conference on Population and Development, held in Garissa, which focused on population, health, education and gender in relation to development for the region.
17 February, 2009
MALDIVES
MPs’ threats to PS dismissed
The Civil Service Commission in the Maldives has warned Government MPs to stop intimidating Public Servants.
The CSC issued the warning after two months of ‘silent suffering’ by the Public Servants, saying the ruling MPs had no power to sack or threaten Government employees and should therefore stop threatening that they would.
The CSC pointed out that it was in charge of managing the employment of Public Servants and it alone had the power to give jobs to Public Servants, change their jobs or terminate their employment.
An independent think tank working to strengthen democracy in the island nation - the Maldives Institute for Security, Democracy and Development – said that intimidation of Public Servants began within a few days of the election of the Maldivian Democratic Party Government, headed by President Mohamed Nasheed, in October 2008.
It appealed to the Civil Service Commission to intervene to stop what it described as the victimisation and harassment of Public Servants, saying many of them had already lost their jobs, been transferred or demoted following the orders of activists within the MDP.
The MISDD said it is pleased that the Commission had finally acted but it remained concerned about Public Servants who had already become victims of MDP activists. In a statement it called for their reinstatement with compensation.
“We call on the Civil Service Commission from now on to vet all the appointments made by [President] Mohamed Nasheed to quite junior levels, particularly those appointed as island heads and atoll heads need to be investigated as their employment still falls under Civil Service,” the MISDD statement said.
It also urged the Parliament to vet the senior level jobs, such as State Ministers, Assistant Ministers, and Minister’s Advisers the number of which it believed had grown out of all proportion to that needed to govern a population of 300,000 people.
“The threats and victimisation will not stop unless such measures are taken by the CSC and Maldives Parliament,” the MISDD said.
“These steps need to be taken immediately for any real protection to occur.”
17 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
Police union slams promotion system
Senior Police Officers in California are planning legal action against their Force, claiming its policies and processes for promotion are no longer merit-based or objective.
Members of the Newport Beach Police Management Association (NBPMA), which represents sergeants, captains and lieutenants, have written to their Police Chief claiming promotions are not based on the actual merit of the candidates and that undermines the entire Civil Service System.
The letter has resulted in a recommendation from the Newport Beach City Council’s Legal Department that an outside investigator look into the system.
Newport Beach Police Chief, John Klein, said he welcomed such an investigation, saying it was important for people to have confidence in the system.
The NBPMA letter, written by lawyers on behalf of the Association’s 33 members, states that a scoring system for promotion tests is too subjective, mentions that multiple grievances have been filed but does not go into detail.
Association President Steve Shulman declined to go into the specifics of grievances, saying he hoped the investigation would avert a public quarrel.
One individual complaint currently moving through the legal system alleges “retaliation, discrimination and hostility” during testing for promotion in 2006.
The complainant, Police Sergeant Neil Harvey, alleges in a lawsuit that he was denied promotion “despite having vastly more experience than the other candidates”.
Council officials have denied the allegations.
A lawyer for the Council, David R. Hunt, said the Council would be addressing the issue “as quickly as reasonable prudence allows”.
“We do not want to taint any investigation with premature disclosure of information,” Mr Hunt said.
17 February, 2009
PHILIPPINES
Casuals to get new deal
Casually employed Government staff in the Philippines who serve continually for six years could automatically receive full Public Service rights under new laws being considered by the Philippine House of Representatives.
Author of the new laws, Ronald Singson, the MP for Ilocos Sur Province, said casual employees with that length of service deserved to receive the same benefits granted to all Government employees holding permanent positions.
He said the casual employees delivered the same amount of efficiency, loyalty and dedication to Government service as permanent employees.
"There is no reason to discriminate [against] them and exclude them from the principle of equal protection of laws," Mr Singson said.
He said the new laws aimed to grant full professional rights and Public Service eligibility to employees subject to minimum education and training requirements.
They also seek professional Public Service eligibility to employees with a four-year college degree.
Mr Singson said the present law was enacted in 1990 and granted Public Service eligibility to all Government employees holding career Public Service positions, whether appointed as Provisional or Temporary Officers, who had completed at least seven years of efficient service.
Unfortunately casual employees were not included in its scope.
"This law proves that acquired experience is a valid and legal substitute to civil service eligibility," he said.
17 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
PS watchdog shuts down
An American Public Service watchdog has been forced to close its doors in the face of the global economic crisis.
The Council for Excellence in Government, one of the largest lobby groups encouraging good government in Washington, closed on 16 February after 25 years of operation.
Most staff have joined the non-profit organisation Partnership for Public Service (PPP).
Chairman of the Council’s Board of Trustees, John Macomber, said moving the Council’s programs to the PPP was the best option, as it would improve efficiency, increase their impact, and provide needed services to more Government executives and organisations.
PPP President and Chief Executive Officer, Max Stier, said consolidating the two groups' programs would help them make the United States Government more effective.
“The merger will cut overall operating costs by combining the two organisations into one office space, making it easier to fund the consolidated set of programs,” Mr Stier said.
There will be job losses, with some of the Council’s administrative staff laid off, but the organisation will help them search for new jobs.The consolidation brings a range of workforce programs under one roof, as the Council's initiatives join the Partnership's Best Places to Work Survey, Service to America Medals and the Call to Serve Program, which promotes Federal service on college campuses.
17 February, 2009
KUWAIT
Pay freeze likely for nurses
Pay rises for thousands of nurses in Kuwait are expected to be threatened by the global economic crisis.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) says it does not support a pay rise for the 11,000 nurses working in the country, the vast majority of whom are expatriates.
An anonymous CSC official said Minister of Health, Roudhan Al Roudhan, who is conducting an inquiry into nurses' salaries and allowances, would decide to restrict any pay rise to the roughly 900 Kuwaiti nationals in the Nursing Service.
This would follow similar moves in other Gulf States.
In November 6,000 nurses in Bahrain failed to secure an across-the-board pay rise, managing only to secure an increase for a small number of nurses who hold degrees.In a separate development Kuwait’s Ministry of Health (MoH) is planning to carry out a study into providing private health insurance for all Kuwaiti citizens, most notably for surgical operations.
17 February, 2009
TANZANIA
Degree scam rocks academia
A shortage of university lecturers in Tanzania has led to large numbers of job applicants from neighbouring countries, mainly Kenya, falsifying qualifications to get jobs.
An investigation by intelligence officials in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam has begun into what is believed to be an organised racket involving hundreds of Kenyan lecturers and professors with false qualifications.
Many of the fake academics readily admitted fabricating their certificates when confronted by investigators.
One of the targeted institutions is the prestigious University of Dodoma.
Unable to take punitive action against foreign nationals, university officials contacted Tanzanian authorities which led to the nationwide investigation.
A senior intelligence official said the investigation will “take a bit of time”.
He said the faked certificates would be made available to Kenyan authorities to help them track down the suppliers of the false qualifications.
The University of Dodoma has been on a drive to employ more staff since its plan to enrol more than 40,000 students as part of a general expansion program. Almost all of 200 applicants from Kenya failed to meet even the minimum number of publications needed for them to teach at the university.
Vice Chancellor, Idriss Kikula, said the applicants had apparently banked on the university accepting them without undertaking a verification exercise.
Academic sources said the bogus degree problem at Dodoma was likely to be widespread, mainly because the Government had no uniform procedures to check whether employees’ alma maters were actually ‘diploma mills’ that required little, if any, academic work.
The discovery came two months after the University of Dar es Salaam withdrew a degree it had conferred 20 years ago on one of its own staff after discovering that he had forged the certificates that got him into the university in the first place.
10 February, 2009
IRELAND
PS pension levy to lead recovery
The Government of Ireland has announced a new “pension levy” for Public Servants as a major plank in its strategy for economic recovery.
Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen, announced the move, admitting it would be unpopular but saying the Government had to develop the recovery strategy without the agreement of its social partners.
Mr Cowen said the move was necessary to allay the effects of the economic downturn.
The Taoiseach said of the €2 billion (A$3.9 billion) Ireland needed to save, €1.4 billion (A$2.7 billion) would come from a pension related levy on all Public Servants, including local authority employees.
He said a person earning €15,000 (A$29,500) would pay a pension levy of 3 per cent, with the levy gradually increasing in line with salary.
Mr Cowen said a 5 per cent levy would be paid on a salary of €25,000 (A$49,000) up to a levy of 9.6 per cent on salaries of €300,000 (A$588,900).
He also said pay increases due to be paid to Ireland’s Public Servants in September this year, with a second phase in 2010, would not be paid on the dates originally planned.
Ireland's largest Public Service trade union, IMPACT, said its members were extremely angry about the new measures.
Spokesman for IMPACT, Bernard Harbour, said members felt as though they were being forced to shoulder the burden of economic recovery while businesses and high earners made no contribution.
“I can tell you that the switchboard here at head office has been buzzing with people extremely angry,” Mr Harbour said.
“They're angry not just at the pension contribution, which is extremely significant, but also at the fact that this is being imposed in a situation where businesses and the better-off have not been asked to make any contribution.”
The Taoiseach outlined a list of other reductions in spending, saying the Government would cut overseas aid by €95 million (A$186.5 million) and consultancies would be reduced to save €80 million (A$157 million).
The list included a reduction in the early childcare supplement, from €1,100 to €1,000 (A$2,100 to A$1,900) a year which would be restricted to children under five.
Other savings included in general administration and Defence equipment,
Charity organisations, Trocaire, Oxfam and Concern said they were deeply disappointed at moves to cut overseas aid, saying it would leave the most vulnerable people across the globe in a worse condition.
Leader of the Opposition Party Fine Gael, Enda Kenny said the €2 billion in savings was a “sticking plaster” aimed at covering a “gaping wound that has not been treated by Government.”
Mr Kenny said the Opposition would support the Government in making savings if it considered Fine Gael proposals on tax, job creation measures, Public Service reform and cutting the public pay bill.
10 February, 2009
JAPAN
Practices outlawed in PS reform
The Government of Japan is to ban the common practice of Public Servants taking jobs with related private sector companies after they leave the Service or being posted to semi-Government Authorities.
Prime Minister Taro Aso said by the end of this year Departments and Agencies would no longer help find “amakudari” or “watari” jobs for their retiring officials.
Amakudari, often deemed a source of corruption, is the practice of senior bureaucrats landing post-retirement jobs at entities related to the sectors they formerly supervised, while watari is where retired bureaucrats find successive posts in semi-Governmental bodies for “short stints”, walking away from each with hefty retirement packages.
The Government finalised its 2009 to 2012 reform timetable showing what reforms would to be implemented and how.
Mr Aso said there were two main purposes to the reform, to get rid of amakudari and watari, and to give the bureaucracy greater mobility by banishing the territorial mentality of Public Servants who think for their Ministry rather than their nation.
He said the Government initially set a three-year transition period through to 2011 before banning amakudari and watari, but moved the schedule up, telling the House of Representatives Budget Committee he wanted it banned by the end of 2009.
Under the reform, Government Ministries and Agencies would be banned from playing a mediating role in finding jobs for retiring officials.
“We would like to work hard on reforming the Public Service system,” Mr Aso said.
He also said a new bureau would be established at the Cabinet Secretariat in 2010 to assume the personnel functions of administrative agencies which was currently handled by the National Personnel Authority (NPA).
The Government brushed aside protests from the NPA when deciding to transfer their authority to the new bureau.
The NPA is the independent administrative commission that advises the Prime Minister and Parliament (Diet) on Federal Public Servants’ recruitment and salaries.
The new Cabinet Personnel and Administrative Management Bureau will integrate the management of senior personnel of all Ministries and Agencies.
President of the NPA, Masahito Tani, slammed the idea, saying transferring authority to the Cabinet side, which employed bureaucrats, was unfair and could violate the rights of employees.
It has been suggested that Mr Aso decided on the transfer despite the backlash due to growing concerns that a prolonged row inside the Government would undermine his leadership.
10 February, 2009
ZIMBABWE
Reserve bank issues new currency
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has slashed 12 zeros from the Zimbabwe dollar and has created a new family of currency denominations ranging from $1 to $500.
In its efforts to jump-start its ailing economy, the RBZ said the new currency would be used alongside the old one which would remain legal tender until 30 June this year.
In addition, the bank also broadened the country’s foreign currency licensing framework and relaxed exchange control regulations to help stimulate the economy.
Acting Finance Minister, Senator Patrick Chinamasa, said Public Servants would be given vouchers as an allowance, worth A$150 apiece to purchase goods and services.
Senator Chinamasa said traders would bank them, where they would be forwarded to the central bank to be debited against Government foreign currency collections.
He said the voucher system would be an interim measure to facilitate access to a basket of goods and services for Civil Servants.
All businesses are now also allowed to sell their goods and services in a foreign currency after applying for a special foreign exchange licence costing from a $15 once-off payment for hawkers to a $17,800 annual payment for businesses.
RBZ Governor, Dr Gideon Gono, presented his Monetary Policy Statement, Turning our difficulties into opportunities – Exports, Forex, Exports, saying the new measures were not equivalent to dollarisation, but would liberalise the economy.
“This is a tailor-made strategic intervention that is meant to bring convenience to the general public, as well as supporting productive efficiencies, Dr Gono said.
“At the same time it will preserve the sovereign Zimbabwe dollar by giving it company among other currencies of choice, which is the essence of multi-currencying.”
He said the measures endorsed the adoption of a multiple currency trading system recently announced by Senator Chinamasa.
Dr Gono said the revaluation of the dollar and the new dual pricing framework, which directed goods and services be quoted in Zimbabwe dollars and foreign currency, would help shore up the domestic currency.
“Even in the face of the current economic and political difficulties confronting the economy, the Zimbabwe dollar ought to and must remain the nation’s currency, so as to safeguard our national identity and sovereignty,” he said.
Dr Gono said 2009 would mark the turning point of the country’s economic fortune, challenging banks to adapt to the new economic dispensation and to come up with products that would encourage foreign currency circulation.
“It is now time for the (banking) industry to develop aggressive marketing strategies, incentives and products that promote banking in foreign currency, especially by individuals,” he said.
Dr Gono also encouraged banks to install Point of Sale machines and other systems in foreign exchange trading areas and to issue debit cards such as the Mastercard or Visa to enable customers to transact locally and internationally.
A base exchange rate of Z$2 (revalued) to the South African rand and Z$20 to the US dollar has come into effect.
10 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
PS in line for baby leave
Federal Public Servants in the US will be eligible for four weeks leave after the birth or adoption of a child if the Senate approves a new Bill.
Senator Jim Webb from Virginia, introduced the Bill, saying it was an “issue of fairness for Federal employees.”
Representative Frank Wolf was one of the sponsors of the Bill.
Mr Wolf said the new measure would boost the recruitment and retention of younger workers in to the Public Service.
He said the Federal Government currently lagged behind the private sector where 53 per cent of employers provided some form of paid parental leave.
“The aim of this legislation is to keep the Federal workforce in step with the private sector, which has been providing this benefit for many years,” Mr Wolf said.
“And with the coming wave of federal retirements, we must ensure that Federal employment is a competitive option for young Americans starting families.”
An identical Bill was passed by the House in 2008 by a vote of 278 to 146, but was not brought to a vote in the Senate.
Spokesperson for Senator Webb, Kimberly Hunter, said they were “hopeful” the Bill would pass through this Congress.
President of the National Partnership for Women and Families, Debra Ness, said while Federal employees were entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, many could not afford to take it and often used up sick leave or their holidays.
“At a time when so many working families are struggling to make ends meet, we can set an example by ensuring that federal workers do not have to choose between their paycheck and caring for a newborn or newly adopted baby,” Ms Ness said.
House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, also sponsored the legislation, saying paid leave for Federal workers was “critical both to employee morale and in competing with the private sector to attract and retain the strongest talent to the federal workforce.”
Opponents to the Bill have raised concerns about the cost of the measure, which the Congressional Budget Office estimated would be $850 million over five years.
10 February, 2009
SCOTLAND
Call for relocations to north
Moves to relocate more Scottish Public Servants to the northern Highlands and offshore islands have been raised by a Parliamentarian representing the areas.
Local MP, Peter Peacock, called on the Secretary of Finance to reintroduce the relocation program saying it had been successful under a former administration and had generated a lot of enthusiasm among the communities of the north.
“Job relocations have made a considerable contribution to the economy of the areas which have benefited from relocated Government posts,” Mr Peacock said.
“The strong support for job relocations which was obvious from the replies I received from local authorities across the Highlands and Islands reflects the value placed on such initiatives and an appreciation of those that the previous administration achieved.”
However, he said the criteria for relocations had been “dramatically altered” by the Scottish National Party to increase sustainable economic growth.
“In fact, there is little evidence that the new policy is delivering any small unit relocations to the Highlands at all,” Mr Peacock said.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said their approach meant relocation was an option, but would only be pursued following a “rigorous and transparent process” showing the move would be efficient and provide best possible value for money.
Mr Peacock said previous relocations had brought jobs to Dingwall, Tain and Campbeltown.
“Scottish National Heritage is a major employer in Inverness, Tiree saw new posts when the Crofting Building Grants and Loans Scheme was located there, Shawbost on the Western Isles is the hub for the consumer advice service, Consumer Direct and the Scottish Government’s Central inquiry Unit was located in Kinlochleven,” he said.
10 February, 2009
ZAMBIA
Presidents warns against corruption
The President of Zambia has warned Department Secretaries they would be dismissed if found to be involved in corruption.
President Rupiah Banda issued the warning at the same time as banning overseas travel for the Secretaries and their attendance at workshops unless they could be shown to be of benefit to the people.
“Travels abroad, workshop to workshop, which yield no results must not be undertaken,” President Banda said.
Addressing 13 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in Lusaka, he said he would not tolerate misuse of Government funds on unnecessary luxuries.
“I want you to use public funds properly and efficiently,” President Banda said.
“I want my Permanent Secretaries and controlling officers to be wary of corruption.
“I will not condone corruption and will dismiss any of you if caught involved.”
He also told his PSs they needed to stop gossiping and avoid careless talk outside their offices.
“Work must be the priority before all,” he said.
“I want discipline and hard work from all serving with me. I will not accept failure.”
President Banda emphasised the short period of time he had in which to fulfill the promises he made to the Zambian people during his campaign for election.
“I, therefore, will not accept excuses for failure to perform,” he said.
“I do not want unnecessary bureaucratic delays. I do not want scapegoating. I want Zambians to receive a decent service from the civil service.”
President Banda said he trusted his new PSs would live up to expectations.
“In spite of what our detractors are saying about your appointments, each one of you was carefully selected from many equally capable Zambians,” he said.
“I am, as your President, very confident that you will form part of the team of Permanent Secretaries who will oversee the successful implementation of my Government's policies, programs and projects.”
President Banda urged his new Secretaries to pay special attention to the budget, as he expected every Secretary to implement the programs and projects listed in the budget.
Those sworn-in as Permanent Secretaries included Sebastian Kakoma, Berlin Msiska, Dr Velepi Mtonga, Chilala Chibbonta, Godwin Beene, and Davison Mendamenda.
10 February, 2009
MALAYSIA
PM warns on contract renewal
The Malaysian Prime Minister has criticised the Public Service for taking too long to award contract extensions to companies in the private sector.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Departments and Agencies should not wait to the last minute before moving to renew or extend the contracts.
Mr Abdullah said it was natural that companies complained of delays: “And when there is a delay, the companies will usually get into trouble.”
He said when the complaint reached the top levels of Government, it generally led to “dissatisfaction and anger among the civil servants.”
He said companies that complained tended to be faced with a host of problems when dealing with Public Servants.
“Everything will be made to seem difficult. We must stop acting like this,” Mr Abdullah said.
He urged Public Servants to be proactive by approaching the companies well before the renewals were due.
“They should tell the companies that their contracts would be extended and that the companies should continue with their respective projects,” Mr Abdullah said.
“Sadly, sometimes the delay could go up to one month, even up to three months.
“Just because our (economic) situation here is not that bad compared with other countries, do not make this an excuse to delay doing our work.”
He said it was “vital” all Public Servants understood their full attention was required to help spur the economy.
Mr Abdullah said the Government would introduce a second stimulus package to help the economy get back on track.
“Of course, we cannot predict what will happen but at least we should be prepared. If we begin early, we will be ready to face any eventuality,” he said.
“I have always reminded you, even reminded myself, that we must always begin as early as possible. Don't ever wait or dilly-dally.”
Mr Abdullah congratulated the Public Service on the improvements it had made to service delivery, but said employees needed to remain committed to their job and their cause.
10 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
Lawyers take up advisor positions
A predominance of well-known lawyers is one of the notable features of US President Barack Obama’s appointments to his White House staff so far.
“Several dozen” prominent lawyers have taken jobs with the administration, a departure from the practice of former President George W Bush, who preferred a small team of trusted legal advisors.
Among the newly chosen lawyers was Norman Eisen, who made his name in politics as a Democratic contributor and co-founder of the Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, a watchdog group that sued former President Bush over missing White House emails.
Mr Eisen has been named President Obama’s special counsel for ethics and Government reform.
President Obama has also chosen lawyers who were educated at some of the nation's most prestigious law schools, and many who were critical of the Bush administration policies on detention, prisoner treatment and surveillance.
Law Professor at Yale University, Jack Balkin, said President Obama's appointments probably stemmed from his background as a lawyer and a former constitutional law professor.
Professor Balkin said while many of the appointees were Democrats, the President seemed to be “sending a message of relative moderation and professional competence.”
“These are people with very strong résumés who are very, very strong lawyers, but I don't think of them in terms of their ideology or political beliefs,” he said.
Republicans have argued the list showed President Obama was more partisan than he admitted, saying several of the new lawyers had served as senior advisers during his campaign.
Former member of the White House Counsel’s office under President Bush senior, David Rivkin, said President Obama’s choice of lawyers took a different direction to his predecessor’s.
“They are politically sympatico with the President, which is as it should be, but I imagine they are preparing to do a lot of heavy lifting in a direction conservatives will not like,” Mr Rivkin said.
Despite Republican criticism of the President’s nomination of former Justice Department Official, Eric Holder Jr., as Attorney General, the Senate Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly voted in favor of his appointment.
President Obama has appointed or nominated at least 22 attorneys, more than twice the number employed by the Bush administration.
Lawyers in both parties have warned Obama against allowing the White House counsel's office to become too large and influential, arguing most important legal decisions should remain in the hands of lawyers from the Justice Department.
10 February, 2009
YEMEN
Study finds corruption levels high
A study of seven Yemeni Ministries and five Governmental institutions has found administrative corruption levels of more than 40 per cent.
It also found that less than 40 per cent of the country’s Public Service was committed to the ethics of public office.
The study, conducted by the National Institute for Administrative Sciences, and titled The Effect of Ethics in Fighting Administrative Corruption, found an inverse link in the ethics of public office and administrative corruption.
Its analysis of administrative corruption was categorised into eight areas.
The study found mediation was the highest, at 56.3 per cent, followed closely by the levels of patronage, at 51 per cent.
Extortion had a prevalence of 44.8 per cent, while tipping was recorded at 41.5 per cent and embezzlement at 40.5 per cent.
Bribery was recorded with a prevalence of 36.5 per cent, while forgery came in last at a rate of 29 per cent.
The study measured ethical practices on nine levels, saying honesty came out on top at 70.5 per cent followed by responsibility (67.3%), job commitment (66.7%), service to others (62%), institutional loyalty (61.8%), honesty (57.5%), preservation of public property (54.5%), justice (50.5%) and integrity (8.42%).
The National Institute for Administrative Sciences said the study aimed to increase knowledge about the ethics of public office and if staff were committed to applying them.The study also sought to assess the impact of proper adherence to these ethics in the reduction of administrative corruption, and the differences between staff regarding the extent of compliance on the basis of age, sex, family size, the administrative level, and length of service.
It found men were, on average, more corrupt and less committed to the code of ethics than women.
The study concluded there was a weak inverse relationship between the level of ethics in public office, the monthly salary and the level of qualification and a strong inverse relationship between corruption, administrative work, monthly salary, academic qualification and years of experience.
It included a sample of 3,000 employees from the ministries of health, education, civil service, finance, local government, endowments, higher education, communications, electricity, and taxes.
10 February, 2009
BAHAMAS
Reform continues at Customs
The Government of the Bahamas is continuing its reform program with a leadership overhaul at the Customs Department.
Minister for Finance, Zhivargo Laing, confirmed the shake-up saying up to 24 of the most senior Customs Officers would be offered retirement packages to make way for the restructure.
While denying those earmarked for retirement were either corrupt or overpaid, Mr Laing said the level of corruption in the service was expected to fall when the review was complete.
He said the restructure would give the Customs Department some much needed “cutting-edge leadership and management.”
Confirmation of the restructure came three weeks after a similar exercise was carried out at the Royal Bahamas Police Force, where 15 senior officers who had reached 55 were given retirement packages.
The move was slammed by Leader of the Opposition Progressive Liberal Party, Perry Christie, who claimed the Officers were forced into retirement.
A similar exercise also took place at the Immigration Department, the first to undergo restructuring.
Lawyer, Paul Moss, rejected the Governments assertion the move was part of a streamlining process to make the Agencies more efficient, likening the moves to private sector downsizing.
“We know that those were not restructuring exercises as the structure of all the organisations remains the same and intact,” Mr Moss said.
“In other words, there was simply the retiring of people and not the reorganisation of the system.
He said the Government was simply cutting back staff numbers.
“They have described it as restructuring, but in fact these are terminations in order for downsizing in order to make sure that the Government does not find itself in the embarrassing position of not being able to pay Civil Servants,” Mr Moss said.
“One could conclude that this (restructuring) is based on corruption, but this is how they leave us to conclude because they don't clear it up; either those people are corrupt or they cannot make payroll.”
Mr Laing maintained the early retirement packages were meant to streamline the organisations, and said the public should not expect any more similar exercises.
“The Immigration Department, the police force and the Customs Department represents the extent of this kind of exercise,” he said.
3 February, 2009
UNITED KINGDOM
Unfunded PS pensions up 30%
The unfunded liability for the United Kingdom’s Public Service pension scheme grew by 30 per cent in the past 12 months to £119 billion (A$262 billion).
The scheme has more than 1.5 million members with the average unfunded entitlement increased in the past year by £7,900 (A$17,400) each.
The UK Opposition has calculated that the debt equates to £4,700 (A$10,300) for every household in the country.
It said over the past year, Public Servants had earned £4.5 billion (A$9.9 billion) of extra pension entitlements.
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Philip Hammond, said the figures posed a significant problem, as they could ultimately have to be covered by taxpayers.
“These huge unfunded Public Sector pension costs are storing up yet more problems for the future at a time when Britain is already facing a £1 trillion debt mountain,” Mr Hammond said.
“We urgently need more transparency in accounting for Public Sector pensions, so taxpayers understand the true costs and Civil Servants can see just how valuable their retirement benefits are.”
Compounding the issue, the latest report from the Civil Service Pension Scheme revealed that the average Public Servant could now expect to spend a third of his or her life in retirement.
The report pointed out that life expectancy had increased to such high levels that male Public Servants were expected to live 29 years after the 60-year-old retirement age, with females expected to live an additional 29.6 years.
It found rising longevity was a major factor in boosting the value of pensions to Public Servants and their cost to future taxpayers.
It said male life expectancy had risen by over two years during 2008 and by 3 ½ years in the past eight years.
Almost 1.5 million people are members of the Civil Service pension scheme, which has become a “byword for rock-solid, inflation-proofed retirement provision” which didn’t depend on stock market performance.
Permanent secretaries, job centre workers and prison officers were all members of the Civil Service scheme, which had 577,000 people accruing benefits, 322,000 with deferred benefits and 569,000 drawing pensions.
Although the retirement age had risen to 65 for new recruits to the PS, 97 per cent of the existing workforce would still retire at 60, and be paid a pension of up to two thirds of their final salary, depending on length of service.
3 February, 2009
CANADA
PS Wage freeze angers union
The Canadian Government plans to legislate to freeze Public Service pay increases for the next three years in a plan that has angered the nation’s PS unions.
Union leaders have criticised the move, saying they could be forced to take action to protect their rights to free collective bargaining.
The 18 unions sent a letter to the Government urging it to reconsider the freeze.
“Passing legislation that would unnecessarily interfere with free collective bargaining would be a travesty,” the letter said.
“It would be micromanaging Public Service compensation through legislation where there is no justification for it and interfering with our rights and freedoms provided under the Charter.”
Several unions have threatened to take the Government to Court to stop such legislation, citing a 2007 Supreme Court decision that ruled collective bargaining was a right for all Canadians and protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Government originally proposed the wage freezes in November 2008, along with a temporary ban on strike action, but was forced to back down.
Treasury Board officials said the Government now planned to resurrect the proposal to freeze all federal salaries at 2.3 per cent for 2007 and 1.5 per cent for the next three years, without placing a ban on strikes.
Staff representatives from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have been to the Federal Court to stop the Treasury Board from rolling back its three-year wage agreement, which was settled last June.
According to the Unions, the Treasury Board said it would not halt collective bargaining or take away the right to strike, but was simply freezing wages for four years.
The Board said Unions could still negotiate common issues such as health and dental plans and travel policies at the National Joint Council during the freeze.
Union leader and co-chair of the National Joint Council, Ron Cochrane, said the Government was creating an unnecessary crisis.
He said the Unions understood Canada's economic situation and were willing to accept wage restraint, but drew the line at stripping workers of their right to collective bargaining.
He said there was no need for legislation as “collective bargaining was working just fine.”
He said seven unions had reached agreements before talks were shut down, but now expected wages would be rolled back to the proposed cuts.
Unions accused the Treasury Board of damaging its credibility and relationship with them.
“Introducing a form of wage control through legislation will exacerbate matters, especially when collective bargaining is seen to be working,” they said.
3 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
Post Office plan to cut deliveries
The United States Post Office is planning to cancel mail deliveries one day a week in a bid to save costs.
Required by law to make deliveries six days a week, the Post Office has not confirmed it would drop its Saturday rounds, suggesting Tuesday or another day when traffic was low could be the best option.
Postmaster General, John Potter, has asked lawmakers to lift the six-day delivery requirement to allow the PO to cut the extra day.
Mr Potter said due to decreasing amounts of mail and rising costs, the Post Office was $2.8 billion in the red last year.
“If current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year,” he said.
“Total mail volume was 202 billion items last year, over 9 billion less than the year before, the largest single volume drop in history.”
Mr Potter said the cost of six-day delivery could prove to be unaffordable.
“The ability to suspend delivery on the lightest delivery days, for example, could save dollars in both our delivery and our processing and distribution networks,” he said.
“I do not make this request lightly, but I am forced to consider every option given the severity of our challenge.”
Mr Potter said the changes would not be implemented immediately as the Agency was working to cut costs before going to five-day delivery.
He said any final decision on changing delivery would have to be made by the Postal Governing Board.
The issue of cutting back on days of service was raised in a study issued by the Post Office that recommended the six-day delivery be eliminated to give the Office, “the flexibility to meet future needs for delivery frequency.”
The study estimated cutting back to five days would save the Post Office $3.5 billion (A$5.4 billion) annually, while another survey conducted by George Mason University estimated the move would save over $1.9 billion (A$2.94 billion) each year.
Mr Potter said the next rate increase was scheduled for May and was expected to be 2 cents on the current 42 cent first class rate.
He said a larger increase would be counterproductive as it would cause mail volume to drop further.
“The Post Office's problem is twofold,” Mr Potter said.
“A revolution in the way people communicate has structurally changed the way America uses the mail with a shift from first-class letters to the Internet for personal communications, billings, payments, statements and business correspondence.
“To some extent that was made up for by growth in standard mail - largely advertising - but the economic meltdown has resulted in a drop there also.”
Mr Potter also requested Congress ease the requirement that the Post Office make advance payments into a fund to cover future health benefits for retirees.
“We are in uncharted waters,” he said. “But we do know that mail volume and revenue - and with them the health of the mail system - are dependent on the length and depth of the current economic recession.”
3 February, 2009
UNITED KINGDOM
Ad ban at BBC prompts bias call
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been accused of bias for refusing to broadcast an emergency fundraising appeal for people living in the Gaza Strip.
Criticism of the decision has been described as “unprecedented” but senior managers defended their position.
Director General of the BBC, Mark Thompson, said he could not allow the BBC to endanger its impartiality by appearing to endorse an appeal for the victims of one side of a conflict.
“For us to broadcast such a thing would in my view be out of keeping with our strict duty to be impartial,” Mr Thompson said.
However, even some BBC journalists were concerned at the decision, saying senior management had been “overzealous” in their interpretation of the BBC’s charter, which states the broadcaster must “be free from both political and commercial influence and answer only to its viewers and listeners.”
The two-minute appeal to help Palestinians facing homelessness and hunger was created by a group of 13 charity organisations, including the British Red Cross and Save the Children.
Government Ministers, religious leaders, trade unions and tens of thousands of viewers lodged official complaints against the decision.
The BBC’s offices in London were stormed by protestors who had to be forcibly removed by Police, while dozens of Members of Parliament signed a motion criticising the failure to air the appeal.
General Secretary of Britain’s National Union of Journalists, Jeremy Dear, said many people believed the BBC was “being partial rather than impartial.”
Mr Dear said journalists thought the decision could make it more difficult for them to report from conflict zones, particularly in the Middle East, and that it could affect their safety.
The Israeli Government said it had not pressured the BBC not to run the ad, despite it complaining to the BBC in the past about what it considered to be unbalanced coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
“It’s no business of ours,” an Israeli official said, “we don't tell anyone what to broadcast and what not to broadcast.”
“This is a purely internal British debate.
“As the Israeli Government we can't put pressure on them. We don't have that leverage.”
Opponents of the ban said it not the first time the BBC had refused to air charity appeals, although the audience response had never reached this level of magnitude.
Three of the BBC’s rival broadcasters, Channel 4, ITV and Five did broadcast the appeal, however Sky News, part of the Murdoch stable, also refused.
3 February, 2009
NEPAL
Quotas set for PS recruitment
New quotas have been set for recruitment to the Nepalese Public Service with 45 per cent of jobs to be set aside for women, members of ethnic minorities and residents of rural communities.
Minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, said of the reserved 45 per cent quota, the Government had allocated 28 per cent of positions for Indigenous Madhesi people, 15 per cent for Dalit representatives, 20 per cent for women and five per cent for rural communities.
“The Cabinet took the decision to provide 45 per cent reservation to the marginalised groups as there is no legal framework to provide seat reservation in the present constitution,” Mr Mahara said.
“Although the Interim Constitution mentions provision of proportionate representation to all castes, religions, ethnic groups and languages, there is no specific law formulated to implement it.”
He said the new quota system meant only 55 per cent of Public Servants would be appointed through open competition.
The quotas were established during the most recent Cabinet meeting on 28 January, which was headed by Prime Minister Prachanda.
Experts have accused the move as being a strategy to allay criticism, which the Maoist-led Government faced for its believed “failure to deliver services”.
3 February, 2009
NEW ZEALAND
Fears for support workers in health cuts
A Ministerial Group set up to review New Zealand’s health spending, has been urged not to cut support staff to nurses, doctors and other clinical specialists in hospitals.
The Public Service Association has registered its fears that the support workers could lose their jobs as a result of the review and the quality of health services would suffer as a result.
“Front line hospital staff can’t do their job without their administrative and clerical staff,” the National Secretary of the PSA, Brenda Pilott, said.
“These workers do the vital support work that enables doctors, nurses, anaesthetic technicians and other medical staff to focus on treating patients.”
Ms Pilott said Health Minister, Tony Ryall, had made “extravagant claims” about there being too much bureaucracy and wasteful spending in health.
“But he hasn’t mentioned that we’re spending $12.2 billion a year on our health services and that less than 2% of that is spent by the Ministry of Health administering the use of that money by our health service and planning for our future health needs,” she said.
Ms Pilott said the PSA was also concerned the Ministerial Group announced by Mr Ryall did not include a staff representative from a hospital or the Ministry of Health.
“It’s vital that the people on the Ministerial Group take on board the views of those doing the hands-on work in our hospitals and at the Ministry,” she said.
“The Government needs to ensure that it includes a workers’ voice when it establishes its other Ministerial Groups to review Government spending.”
Ms Pilott said the PSA had 5,000 members working in public hospitals in administrative and clerical roles who performed vital functions such as keeping medical records, typing up doctor notes and making patient appointments.
She said the PSA also had 300 members at the Ministry of Health who provided policy advice, worked in purchasing, monitored funders and health providers and developed legislation and regulations.
3 February, 2009
JAPAN
Opposition promises to ‘tame’ PS
The Japanese Public Service has been targetted by the nation’s Opposition political party which has vowed to “tame” it if elected to power in this year’s elections.
Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama, said the biggest change the party would instigate if they formed Government later this year would be to “reinstate a Government that is led by politicians and not by bureaucrats.”
Mr Hatoyama said the current Public Service was an “elite drawn from the ranks of the nation’s brightest graduates” and had been the “true power” behind the Government for long enough.
He said the pledge to rein in the authority of the PS followed a series of scandals that had destroyed the Public Service’s image as steward of the nation in the eyes of voters.
If the DPJ formed Government at the September election, Mr Hatoyama said a two-party system would be established in Japan for the first time, as the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had ruled Japan alone or in coalition for all but 11 months of the past 53 years.
He said the DPJ would also focus on “effective measures” to bolster the declining birth rate and provide support for agriculture.
Mr Hatoyama said the DPJ would offer a baby bonus to young couples to help offset the financial cost of raising children and invest in making Japan more self-sufficient in food and feed.
“We hope to introduce an income guarantee system for farmers,” he said.
However, the DPJ’s ability to introduce these policies has been questioned due to Japan’s public debt levels and the recession.
Analysts said a DPJ government could “easily falter in the face of civil service resistance.”
3 February, 2009
UNITED STATES
Judges guilty in kickback scheme
Two Judges in the United States who campaigned to have a juvenile detention facility built in their area have pleaded guilty to taking ‘finder’s fees’ from the private operator when they committed juveniles to serve time in it.
The Judges from the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania were charged with conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service after they allegedly received millions of dollars in return for helping arrange the construction of the juvenile facilities.
Federal official alleged the Judges also received hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks when they sent the juveniles to the facilities.
They said the Judges intended pleading guilty and would resign from their positions, be automatically disbarred from practising law, pay restitution and undergo forfeitures as determined by a Federal Court as well as serving over seven years in a Federal prison.
It is alleged that between 2004 and 2007, the Judges filed false annual statements of financial interests, failed to disclose the income they received from the private operators or their financial relationship with the businesses.
The Judges have also been accused of trying to benefit the businesses by campaigning for the return of Luzerne County’s licence to operate a juvenile detention facility; ordering juveniles to be sent to the facilities even if detention was not a recommended sentence; and sending a letter guaranteeing Luzerne County would pay around $1.3 million annually to house juveniles at the facilities without disclosing their financial interests.
Authorities also alleged the Judges deprived the public of their right to the honest services of the judges by failing to acknowledge their conflicts of interest and financial relationships with the juvenile facility owners.
The charges said the defendants received the payments into businesses they owned or controlled, often falsely identifying them as rental fees for a Florida condominium.
They alleged the Judges conspired to impede the IRS by not declaring the income in their tax returns for the years the money was being paid.
Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Leslie DeMarco, said his team had worked closely with the United States Attorney's Office, the District Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to bring the case to “a successful resolution.”
“We will continue to devote our resources to vigorously investigate and prosecute those individuals who violate Federal law,” Mr DeMarco said.
Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI, Janice Fedarcyk, said public corruption was “a betrayal of a sacred trust that erodes public confidence, undermines the strength of our democracy, and threatens the integrity of our Government.”
“The citizens of Luzerne County, like all citizens of the United States, have a right to expect honest services from their public officials,” Ms Fedarcyk said.
US Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Martin Carlson, commended the FBI and IRS for their commitment to the case and their cooperation with each other.
3 February, 2009
LIBERIA
Award for honest Customs Officer
A former airport Customs Officer who turned down a bribe of 1,300 times his monthly salary has been named the Liberian Civil Servant of the Year for 2008.
The award came with a cash prize that was 66 times his salary.
Richard Karyea was offered the A$31,000 bribe by a Nigerian smuggler trying to bring cocaine into Liberia in 2006.
Mr Karyea refused the bribe, handing the man over to police instead.
He was among eight Public Servants honored by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the “invaluable services they have rendered their respective ministries.”
The President paid special tribute to Mr Karyea for demonstrating “a true spirit of honesty and integrity in support of the Government's determination to fight corruption in all sectors.”
Mr Karyea currently serves as Deputy Chief Examiner at the Ministry of Finance after being made redundant from his customs job not long after he refused the bribe.
He said he suspected his fellow colleagues “arranged to get rid of him.”
“It wasn’t difficult to turn down the money,” Mr Karyea said.
“If it took me 50 years to earn that money, I’d want my conscience. I will always want my conscience.”
Director General of the Civil Service Agency, Dr William Allen praised Mr Karyea for his honesty and commitment to duty.
Dr. Allen said it was the first awards ceremony conducted by the Civil Service Agency of Liberia but he planned to make it an annual event to motivate all Public Servants.
Other Public Servants honoured at the ceremony in Monrovia included employees from the Ministries of Finance, Labor, State for Presidential Affairs, Internal Affairs, the Civil Service Agency and Commerce and Industry.
3 February, 2009
HONG KONG
Emergency staff rejectpay cuts
Emergency services personnel in Hong Kong have reacted angrily to a salary review prompted by the global economic crisis.
At least one politician has expressed concerns that the Government could use the crisis to ‘take advantage of’ Public Servants.
Pan-democrat unionist lawmaker, Lee Cheuk-yan, said he saw “a labor movement coming into the disciplined services.”
“I hope the Government will not use the financial tsunami as an excuse to take advantage of the civil servants,” he said.
Over 200 off duty ambulance officers staged a protest outside the Legislative Council, warning the Government they would take industrial action if the nature of their work was not recognised.
During a review meeting, representatives from other emergency services’ unions also expressed their disappointment at the pay review, saying the recommended standardised increase of one point up from the pay scale would not help address their problems.
Representative of immigration officers’ staff unions, Lee Hok-lim, said the starting point for immigration assistants was the lowest among the services.
Mr Lee said immigration staff felt they were regarded as inferior to others despite their work being highly praised by the public.
A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Fire Services Department union, Chiu Sin-chung, said the review overlooked firefighters who faced dangerous working conditions.
A representative for the Correctional Services Officers' Association, Chan Ba-tak, said the review ignored the long-standing issue that its officers had to spend hours commuting to remote institutions for inmates and were thus unable to lead a normal life outside of work.
While lawmakers expressed concern over negative feedback to the review, Secretary for the Civil Service, Denise Yue Chung-yee, said the Government would not take a position before the end of the consultation period.