Public sector told to shed up to 8,100 jobs
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Public sector told to shed up to 8,100 jobs
To use manpower better, agencies are asked to trim staffing by 3% annually over the next 3 years or pay a surcharge
OVER the next three years, Government agencies must cut their staff by 3 per cent annually - or cough up $10,000 a year for each extra officer.
The measure, just announced by the Finance Ministry, applies to a pool of about 90,000 public sector officers. It excludes teachers and the Defence Ministry.
Meant to help ministries and statutory boards use their manpower better, the new framework took effect from July 8 and may lead to the vanishing of some 8,100 jobs, the Business Times (BT) reported yesterday.
Though not an 'exercise in blindly reducing headcount', the ministry told BT, it will require agencies that do not cut back sufficiently to pay a 'headcount surcharge' of $10,000 a year for each officer above the 3-per-cent limit.
According to the Finance Ministry, the surcharge would add up to less than 2 per cent of ministries' current expenditure on manpower, even if staff numbers are unchanged after three years.
Also, the 3-per-cent figure 'is less than the annual average attrition rate - resignations, retirements and other separations - of ministries and statutory boards,' it said.
In his Budget Debate roundup speech in March, then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said the government was considering a 'headcount tax', to counteract 'some slackening' since a headcount freeze ended in 1996.
Under the new plan, 'ministry groups - ministry headquarters, their departments and statutory boards assessed as a group' should seek to cut total headcount by 3 per cent each year in Fiscal Years 2004, 2005 and 2006.
However, numbers should not be cut 'just for the sake of meeting the reduction,' the Finance Ministry noted. The aim is not to 'simply remove current officers and require the remaining officers to work harder'.
It said: 'The reduction can be by way of productivity improvement, lower recruitment, job redesign, re-prioritisation of functions, streamlining of services, and so on.'
The Government has previously spoken of a need for measures to curb the rise in civil service staff numbers.
Total headcount of ministries and statutory boards grew 17.4 per cent from 1996 to 2003 after a headcount freeze by the Finance Ministry was lifted.
Agencies have been issued guidelines to help them scrutinise their functions and their manpower use. Just how and where to make the adjustments will be left to individual ministries.
The new move does not affect the beefing-up of the teaching service.
In his National Day Rally speech last month, Prime Minister Lee said that by 2010, the government hopes to hire 1,000 more teachers for primary schools, 1,400 more for secondary schools and 550 more for junior colleges
WAH... SPF to cut jobs if so since MHA is included? I think only MINDEF and MOE Education Officers are exempted. -
This is sick. First the budget cut, and now this.
Has security concerned taken a backseat even with the global situation we are in now? -
Not wrong MHA is considering to cut back... but not the uniformed staff of MHA.. more of the desk people....clerks and those type...
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MOE only the teachers are exempted... the rest are up for cuts.. only MINDEF everyone is exempted from it...
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Really? Then SCDF must be really short on people as they are recruiting quite aggressively (from what I know).
Think MFA also recruiting... -
I'm not too sure about that in the first place. However, if my memory serves me right, recruitment for Senior Officers was stopped for a period of time and was only resumed earlier this year.Originally posted by yst:Really? Then SCDF must be really short on people as they are recruiting quite aggressively (from what I know).
Think MFA also recruiting...
Oh is that a case for positions of Senior Officers throughout MHA? SPF and even Prisons, somehow they do not require anymore Senior OFficers? Yeah.. and I think even HASE too.
Looks that MHA no longer requires university grads unless you are a scholar? -
axe those that surf sgforums during official work hours first
yesterday saw news they reported the pple take an hour to clear customs... guess time to look into wat the customs pple do..efficiency? e.g. they might be surfing sgforums during work hours....keke
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yes I agree that it is taking much longer to clear customs as before. But I guess that is necessary ? The ICA officers that I've experienced recently do not merely go through the passport, they actually do a physical scan on the individual? Make sure that the photo in the passport matches that of the person?Originally posted by sgboy2004:axe those that surf sgforums during official work hours first
yesterday saw news they reported the pple take an hour to clear customs... guess time to look into wat the customs pple do..efficiency? e.g. they might be surfing sgforums during work hours....keke
ICA officers and CISCO officers also check ever single car that passes through? I remember it use to be random check perviously. I guess that may be the main reason of the one hour wait?
Even the police officers at the customs are seemingly more alert? I actually see them walking around a fair bit instead of only sitting at their post?
I'm glad to see how MHA officers putting in efforts to make our home a safer place. -
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you have a good point, perhaps you did not know how MHA works... and who are those granted with internet access..... and results in your irrelevant and wildful post?Originally posted by sgboy2004:axe those that surf sgforums during official work hours first
yesterday saw news they reported the pple take an hour to clear customs... guess time to look into wat the customs pple do..efficiency? e.g. they might be surfing sgforums during work hours....keke
perhaps i should summit your post to the authorities?
and consider you to be charge under Sec 499 Cap 224, Defamation.
heres a quick look,
Defamation.
499. Whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs, or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person, intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said, except in the cases hereinafter excepted, to defame that person.
and punishment,
Punishment for defamation.
500. Whoever defames another shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years, or with fine, or with both.
perhaps you should understand that this is not a forum that you can post your comments claiming that you only have a O Level education..... rather then you have to post your comments wisely...
no offence.... perhaps other MODs in other forums can take your nonsense post, but sorry not here...
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wow..actually almost everything you do is an offence...
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thats y its civil suit? lolx.....Originally posted by houndy:wow..actually almost everything you do is an offence... -
Looks like this cut is really felt by many.
My friend went for an interview for the post of Senior Prisons Officer. He was cleared by Prisons after the interview and awaited the clearance by MHA. Then came along this announcement of the cut in jobs.
He got a reply some days later that they are not recruiting.
Hmm.... I guess not only SPF is feeling the crunch, the whole MHA is. -
did anyone noticed that this thread mysteriously disappeared for 2 days then suddenly reappear???
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Er? That sucks. He got my sympathies (do I happen to know him btw?)Originally posted by malcolmloke:Looks like this cut is really felt by many.
My friend went for an interview for the post of Senior Prisons Officer. He was cleared by Prisons after the interview and awaited the clearance by MHA. Then came along this announcement of the cut in jobs.
He got a reply some days later that they are not recruiting.
Hmm.... I guess not only SPF is feeling the crunch, the whole MHA is.
So this implies that uniformed personal are experiencing a cut too as well? -
I cant find the uniform thread until I go to "my topics" and reply to it, and only then will it reappear on the thread list.Originally posted by FireIce:did anyone noticed that this thread mysteriously disappeared for 2 days then suddenly reappear???
Why does this happen? -
Big Brother is looking???Originally posted by huaiwei:I cant find the uniform thread until I go to "my topics" and reply to it, and only then will it reappear on the thread list.
Why does this happen?
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Originally posted by FireIce:did anyone noticed that this thread mysteriously disappeared for 2 days then suddenly reappear???
wat happened are we being watched ? -
hmmmm....probably just a server glitch
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Hmm.... system glitch?
Follow the white rabbit...
Its either the green pill or the red pill. -
Haha...Originally posted by yst:Hmm.... system glitch?
Follow the white rabbit...
Its either the green pill or the red pill.
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i was wondering too..... it had gone missing after i have reply a post to sgboy2004....Originally posted by FireIce:did anyone noticed that this thread mysteriously disappeared for 2 days then suddenly reappear???