Permanent Secretaries Asked to Step Down - Timesofmalta_13Mar13

7/28/2019 Permanent Secretaries Asked to Step Down - Timesofmalta_13Mar13

1/4

This was a courtesy request toallow the Prime Ministerserenity of knowing people willdeliver the Governmentsagenda

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 byMark Micallef

The Office of the Prime Minister defended the request for the permanent secretaries toresign.

All serving permanent secretaries were yesterday asked to consider tendering their resignation in the first substantive move by

the newly appointed head of the civil service.

The request was made by the outgoing principal permanent secretary, Godwin

Grima, on instructions from Mario Cutajar, the person designated to replace him.

The permanent secretaries, who head the civil service within each ministry, serve

on three-year contracts but, although they can be removed by the Prime Minister

at will, they are not political appointees and unlike chairmen are not expected to

step down with a change of government.

The move, which has drawn a sharp reaction in the civil service, comes only aday after the announcement of Mr Cutajars appointment, which had itself created

ripples on account of his former roles in the GWU and the Labour Party.

The OPM said Mr Cutajar would replace Dr Grima both as head of the civil service and Cabinet secretary but there would be a

transitional period in which the ex-GWU official would act as designate.

While it is understandable for a new Labour government to want a person of its trust to head the civil service, Mr Cutajars

former role in the party runs against the impartiality expected from this position, a civil service source told The Times.

The Office of the Prime Minister defended both Mr Cutajars appointment and the request for the permanent secretaries to

resign. Through his experience in different sectors, Mr Cutajar over the years forged good relations with trade unions and

employers alike, a spokesman for the OPM said.

Beyond this, in the different managerial roles he occupied within the civil service, he was never accused of mixing his politicalbeliefs with his work.

On the request for the permanent secretaries to step down, the spokesman said: This was a courtesy request for them to

consider resigning to allow the Prime Minister serenity of knowing that the people in place will deliver the Governments agenda.

He insisted that the Government was wary of giving a shock to the system. Some resignations may not be accepted and the

Permanent Secretaries have already been told that the people whose resignation is accepted will be given the opportunity to

indicate where they would like to work within the service.

The new Labour government appears to be fearful of making the same mistakes of Labours 1996-1998 administration, which

saw former Prime Minister Alfred Sant accuse elements of the civil service of sabotage.

But civil service insiders still complained about the message sent by the changes. Putting a former Labour Party official at the

helm of the civil service and asking for the permanent secretaries to resign so early into government simply jars with Labourselectoral campaign slogan of Malta for all, a high ranking civil servant said.

In an ideal world, permanent secretaries are meant to give government continuity when there is a change of political masters, be

it the departure of a minister or a government as is the case now, he said.

Permanent secretaries asked to step down

manent secretaries asked to step down - timesofmalta.com http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130313/local/Permanent...

4 31/03/201319:3


2/4

Copyright Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on - 31-03-2013 - This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributedHowever, this move flies in the face of this concept.

Another civil service source, more sympathetic to Labours concerns, said that while he understood the Governments wish to

change the PN-leaning line-up of civil service leaders it inherited after almost 25 years of uninterrupted Nationalist

administrations, the haste could end up antagonising people and create the sort of problems Labour appears to be keen on

tackling.

Mr Cutajar first joined the civil service in 1976 but he was eventually seconded to the General Workers Union in 1992, where

he served as deputy secretary general before he fell out with union chief Tony Zarb in 2002.

He also worked in the secretariat of former MEP Glenn Beddingfield during his short stint in Brussels.

He recently edited Dom Mintoffs biography for the Labour Partys publishing arm and curated an exhibition on Labours history

at the party headquarters.

17 Comments

J . BorgMar 15th, 12:04

Malta Taghna Lkoll. Ha ha ha ha! Managed to pull the wool over the eyes of so many gullible people!

"Tista ma taqbilx maghna, imma tahdem maghna". Yeah, right! This sure is evidence of that!

Nazzareno CortisMar 14th, 16:50

Good decision Mr.Mario Cutajar.I fully agree.

New PL government must be sure whom to trust.

Those willing and truly wants to work genuinly with PL ,in the interest of Malta should be welcome---but if there are any who were appointed on political

PN agenda,these should be replaced for obvious reasons!!

One cannot forget what happened in 1996!!!

J oe BorgMar 16th, 19:15

Whom to trust? Any QUALIFIED MALTESE person of integrity who can serve faithfully regardless of political leaning. That's the stuff that builds

nice, harmonious societies.

Time to embrace - we're all Maltese and that's what counts, and it's up to BOTH sides to change attitudes. I vote for Malta.

Michael CamileriMar 14th, 13:29

Asking the secretaries to resign is wrong.

They should be made to re-apply for their positions.

Peter MurrayMar 14th, 12:41

The adjective permanent appears to be 2 letters short -as they left out the IM


Can anyone please provide me with an accurate and apposite defintion of "permanent" ?

A BorgMar 14th, 08:05


4 31/03/201319:3


3/4

if i am not wrong permanent means permanent

Mr Tony GattMar 14th, 09:12

..except when it's temporary.

Michael CamileriMar 14th, 13:28

Nothing is permanent A Borg. I am permanent staff at my employment, but have one months notice if my employer wishes to terminate my

employment.


FAO Michael Camilleri

Then sir, your job description is wildly inaccurate and inappropriate( as is these secretary's)and to correct you on your nothing is permanent

claim as death is permanent ,as are taxes and dishonest politican's and public officials

Ronnie CallusMar 14th, 07:21

Din mhiex xi haga ta' barra minnhawn li l-Permanent Segretaries jintalbu jirrizenjaw, anzi normali li jsir hekk biex ma'jkunx hemm xi hadd jahseb li xi haga

marret hazin fl-agenda tal-Gvern minnhabba fihom.Kull Gvern irid iserrah rasu li ghandu nies tal-fiducja tieghu, kif dejjem hekk sar. Proset Dr.Muscat

keep it up.

Francis Saliba M.D.Mar 14th, 06:20

Asking Permanent Secretaries to declare whether they wish to remain at their post or not is not the same as "asking them to resign".

ANTHONY PAVIAMar 14th, 12:24

Any incoming administration should have the freedom to chose persons of its trust to manage its political portfolio. This is the norm in private

business. Even more so in the Public Sector, where accountability is only a word found in the dictionary.

Rupert GrechMar 14th, 00:26

This is a dangerous precedent that should be opposed. The politicisation of the public service over the years has led to negative consequences in

Australia where senior public servants are now simply "yes" men, telling ministers only what they want to hear. The lack of frank and fearles advice is

dis-functional to efficient and effective government.

C MuscatMar 14th, 08:35

The dangerous situation was created by mistaken advice in 1996 which started the fall of the Sant government. The W & E bills were raised by

a PN remaining top brass and Sant had to face the music.

Victor VellaMar 13th, 22:45

How can the LP government functions when the permanent secretaries were appointed by the PN prime minister? The word permanent is false. Who is

permanent? They are government secretaries. The PN saints forgot when all permanent secretaries were called at tal-P ieta to help the nationalists so

that Gonzi will continue to grip to power? We are not cwiec.

Luke BorgMar 14th, 09:05


4 31/03/201319:3


4/4

well said :)....let's continue to dismantle this atomic bomb which has been built across the whole country for 25 years, with care..next please...


4 31/03/201319:3

Documents

Permanent Secretaries Asked to Step Down - Timesofmalta_13Mar13