The implementation of civil service reforms will take time because this needs to be done properly, says Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

The Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Service was responding to SODEPLA MP, Salote Radrodro in Parliament yesterday.

She asked what measures had been put in place to level the pay of civil servants to the pay of permanent secretaries.

Ms Radrodro said there should be initiatives in the reforms like financial (pay rise) and non-financial benefits like insurance.

She went on to claim that some civil servants had not received any pay rise like the doctors’ salary increase.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the comments made by Ms Radrodro were shocking.

He said Government was currently looking at the private sector to enable them to execute the reforms accordingly.

On two separate occasions, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum added that they had delivered ministerial statements in Parliament in which the issues were highlighted.

In February this year, he said one of the exercises they carried out was job evaluation.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said if they mentioned anything about pay increase for civil servants, the Opposition would label it as vote buying because the election was around the corner.

He said the civil service had not gone through any review since independence.

“Obviously it will take time and it needs to be done well. We need to do it properly and take the right steps,” he said.

“We need the right people to manage the money, one aspect of the reform. She is trying to have some form of amnesia about the issue.

“I really don’t know whether to listen to the Opposition because they don’t know what they are talking about.”

He added that they were looking at how the private sector implemented very high service standards which was critical in trying to formulate the civil service reforms.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said they also aimed to upskill civil servants through a fair system of training.

“When training comes, it’s not only for the director for a particular ministry, or the permanent secretary. We need to ensure that the right people go. Training is very important,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

Feedback:  arieta.vakasukawaqa@fijisun.com.fj