Australia to Help in Govt Reform

Government has set in place reforms for civil servants with the help of the Australian government.

This was revealed by the Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad in Nadi while responding to Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry chair, Dr Ram Raju who asked about the increase of wages for civil servants.

"For the increase in wages for the civil service, how is Government going to increase the activities for them," Dr Raju asked.

The finance minister told Dr Raju asked.

"One of the variables in the equation is always making sure that civil servants are doing well," Mr Prasad said.

Mr Prasad said big budgets were allocated for various ministries which were not utilised.

"For example, we are addressing environmental issues such as water supply for Viti Levu and for Vanua Levu. If the ministries like public works and lands do not get their act together and plan and be able to probably deliver those systematically, it will not happen."

He said a big budget was allocated for the health ministry last year.

"We find that the utilisation is not very good which means the medical consumables like drugs does not arrive on time and things were not happening and so services were not delivered.

"We are expecting the civil service, our permanent secretaries and with the ministers, we are going to make sure that we are going to deliver according to what has been allocated for us."

Mr Prasad revealed that they had been planning to set up a training institute for the civil service.

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