$6m saved after PAs’ reduction
Quoting the Solomon Star newspaper – 27 March 2018
“ABOUT $6 million was saved in taxpayers’ money after the number of Political Appointees
“(PA) was reduced from 51 to 36.
“This was revealed in parliament on Monday by Prime Minister (PM) Rick Howenipwela, in response to question asked by Member of Parliament (MP) for Aoke-Langalanga Matthew Wale.
“Mr Wale asked the PM to confirm to the House, the percentage reduction in salary and all other benefits for political appointees since the new government assumed office.
“PM said, since new government assumed office in November last year they have come up with a cost cutting measures, which also include the reduction in the number of PAs and releveling of their salaries and benefits.
“PM said the 51 PAs in the last government cost taxpayers $19,264,750.
“And he said the current number of 36 PAs served under the Solomon Islands Democratic Coalition for Change Government (SIDCCG) cost taxpayers $12,926,064 which is a difference of $6,338,686.
“Houenipwela also assured that the current 36 are selected on merit based on the relevant skills, background and experience they have to help in the implementation of the government’s key policy objectives.
“He said some are from the last government and some were new recruits after he took up the office as the new PM.
“He also said the decision to cut PAs is a political decision comes from caucus that decide who to stay and who to go.
“So it follows the process to decide and depending as well on the priority areas the PAs are working on, therefore if the new government cut off other areas in its commitment then PAs on those jobs will have to go also.
“The reduction in the costs of PAs has come in the form of revealing of their salaries and benefits and decreasing of the total number from 51 to 36.”
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