887 employees are in acting positions across the Ministries and Departments - Rokovada

887 employees are currently in acting positions across the Ministries and Departments.

Chair of the Public Service Commission Luke Rokovada says they have approved an amendment to the Open Merit Recruitment and Selection Guidelines to bolster efficiency in the Civil Service.

This exercise aims to address the significant workforce turnover in the Civil Service, streamline acting appointments, and tap into the local talent pool for alternative appointments.

This also includes allowing step movements in salary bands, an initiative that was put on hold in August 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing avenues for the retention of skills without the need for public advertisement.

Rokovada says there are certain positions with acting roles shared by two employees across the Civil Service.

He says the prevalence of vacancies within the civil service significantly exceeds the number of acting positions available, highlighting a critical need for strategic workforce planning and selective recruitment efforts.

He says a thorough review of the Civil Service will be undertaken later this year.