The people of Dromuninuku Village in Naweni, Cakaudrove, have made a proposal for a change in Cabinet structure and Government portfolios.

Village spokesperson Eremasi Dame said they had made a written submission to the Department of Strategic Planning and National Development earlier this month.

“This is part of our contribution to the Government’s public consultations on the five-year and 20-year national development plans,” he said.

Mr Dame said in order for real development to take place, Government needed to decentralise ministries linked to development in order for decision-making on policy and development initiatives to be closer to ordinary citizens.

Mr Dame said the proposed Cabinet structure would include a total of 13 Ministers and six Assistant Ministers.

“The 13 Permanent Secretaries are the chief accounting officers responsible for their own budgetary provisions.” He said decision and policy-making in terms of development would be decentralised to the division, as the voice of the ordinary citizens would be heard in Cabinet as the Chief Minsters and its Assistant Ministers would be living within the vicinity of the division, closer to the populace.

He said the proposed structure would cut out red tape and make work convenient for civil servants involved with development. They will be accountable to their respective Permanent Secretaries who will be living closer to them.

Ministries linked to development:

Chief Minister of the Central Division – Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and Tourism;
-Assistant Minister Central Division – Rural/Maritime Development, Divisional Disaster Management, Local Government and Housing.
– Assistant Minister Central Division– Infrastructure, Women, Children, Poverty Alleviation, Youth and Sports;
– Chief Minister of the Eastern Division – Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Tourism, Infrastructure, Rural/Maritime Development, Divisional Disaster Management, Local Government, Housing, Women, Children, Poverty Alleviation, Youth and Sports;
– Chief Minister of the Western Division – Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Sugar and Tourism;
– Assistant Minister Western Division – Rural/Maritime Development, Divisional Disaster Management, Local Government and Housing.

Ministries linked to development:

– Assistant Minister Western Division– Infrastructure, Women, Children, Poverty Alleviation, Youth and Sports;
– Chief Minister of the Northern Division – Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Sugar and Tourism;
– Assistant Minister Northern Division – Rural/Maritime Development, Divisional Disaster Management, Local Government and Housing.
-Assistant Minister Northern Division– Infrastructure, Women, Children, Poverty Alleviation, Youth and Sports.

Changes in Cabinet structure and Government portfolios proposed:

Prime Minister – Public Service Commission, Information and  iTaukei Affairs;
– Attorney General’s Office;
– Ministry of Finance;
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
– Ministry of Education and Cultural Heritage;
– Ministry of Public Enterprise, Industry and Trade;
– Ministry of Health and Medical Services;
– Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources;
– Ministry of Transport and Environment.

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