Vanuatu public servants face

the axe under stringent reforms

By Patrick Decloitre

The Vanuatu government announced last May “10 to 15 per cent” of the 4,500-strong public ser vice are facing the axe under an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-co-ordi nated comprehensive reform pro gramme.

“This is to ensure staff employed in the public sector are both capable and are per

forming the right job”, prime minister

Donald Kalpokas’s press secretary Bob Makin said. Kalpokas took office on March 30 after early general elections on March 6. His Vanuaaku Pati formed a coalition with independence father Walter Lini. “We found the performance of the public sector was often poor due to politi cal interference (in the appointments). This

had led to a significant number of staff with low skill levels”, Kalpokas said, adding his cabinet had already approved the move. Officials here also revealed as a result of dubious appointments of public servants, about two hundred people still received salaries while not being officially on the pay-roll.

“This is not a situation any government wants to face when it comes into office.

But if we don’t take firm action, the eco nomic situation of the country will not

improve”.

“We promised to offer leadership and to be prepared to take the hard decisions that have been previously been avoided.

We must act now”, Kalpokas added. Last year, under a previous government, Vanuatu embarked in an ADB-sponsored comprehensive reform programme (GRP) aimed at boosting the economy through

private sector growth. The GRP also planned to “rightsize” the number of pub lic servants, in line with principles of good governance, accountability and trans parency. In April this year, Kalpokas signed a US$2O million soft loan from ADB to implement the reforms. The “rightsizing” would start in August “and then only a small minority (in the public service) will be affected by redundancy”, Kalpokas however assured.

Each department would first be expect ed to design a leaner structure, then reallo cate its staff members. Those who don’t fit in will be made redundant “either because there is no job, or no job that person has the capacity to perform at the required standard”. Those sacked would receive four weeks’ severance compensation for each year of service and up to three months’ pay in lieu of notice. ■