Civil servants reminded to be productive – Prof. Prasad

Civil servants need to be productive so that the standard of service delivery can improve as there is an indication of a significant lapse in labour productivity.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad highlighted this during the State of the Economy Breakfast Talanoa session after a question was asked if there is a possibility to tighten the civil service as their service delivery has dropped.

Professor Prasad says productivity is key for long-term economic growth as it influences national wealth and living standards and the Government will work with stakeholders to improve productivity.

He says one of the employers told him that he plans his everyday production on average, assuming that 40 percent of his people won't turn up for work several days a week.

The Deputy Prime Minister says they will conduct a holistic review of bureaucratic processes across the economy to drive greater efficiency and ease of doing business.

He further says the civil service over the past years has been politicised and if there was productivity it was because of the fear, that if people didn't come, their contracts would not be renewed.

He adds that when they came in they removed the contracts and brought permanent employment and the unintended consequences of this are more freedom and no fear of losing a job.