May 10, 2018 By Elizabeth A. Kaine
Chief Minister Prof. David Francis
The newly approved Chief Minister, Professor David J. Francis, yesterday (9th May) revealed that his office was committed to slashing the sum of Le15 billion (USD $2 million) wage bill created by the former administration in the defunct office of the Chief of Staff.
The Office of the Chief of Staff, which ceased to exist following the creation of the office of the Chief Minister, used to employ 106 staff with an exorbitant wage bill of the Le15 billion, said a release from State House.
Professor Francis explained that out of 106 staff employed in the former Office of the Chief of Staff, only five were civil servants while the remaining 101 were political appointees on contract.
The Chief Minister has emphasised his determination to cut what he referred to as exorbitant wage bill created by the All Peoples Congress-led government and to drastically reduce the number of staff.
“We have inherited a battered economy and this new government cannot afford to maintain offices created in the previous administration based on political compensations,” Professor Francis said.
He said that they would review the governance structure and that every office must be fit for purpose.
He maintained that their focus was to deliver on key strategic priorities, using a lean structure that would be efficient and cost effective, adding that it is ‘no more business as usual.’