The Public Service Commission has streamlined procedures and mechanisms for handling disciplinary action against civil servants in an effort to ensure that cases get dealt with quickly and that principles of fairness and natural justice prevail at all times.
Mr Josefa Serulagilagi, Chairman for the Public Service Commission said that the Public Service Disciplinary Tribunal set up last year is very well complementing the efforts of the Commission in ensuring there is efficiency in decision making and that all cases involving disciplinary action against civil servants for breaches in the Code of Conduct and abuses area dealt with fairly.
Mr Serulaglagi said that whilst the Tribunal hears the cases and establishes the facts, the judgment and determination of penalties is the jurisdiction of the Commission in line with provisions of the State Services Decree. The penalties are stipulated under the regulation 22(1)a-h of the Public Service Act 1999 and these are:
a) Terminate the employees employment;
b) Reduce the employees grade;
c) Transfer or redeploy the employee to other duties;
d) Defer merit increase in remuneration for employee for a specified period;
e) Reduce level of the employee for the specified period;
f) Impose penalty of not more than$500.00;
g) Reprimand the employee; or
h) Forfeit all or part of the remuneration
In 2009, the Commission disposed of 71 cases of disciplinary action. Out of this,29 Officers were terminated, 22 others had varying levels of penalties imposed,7 withdrawn or exonerated and 13 were reinstated after being found not guilty.
The Commission is firm in its resolve to rid the civil service of abuse, mismanagement and corruption. In all such cases, the Commission ensures that there is proper investigation taken , and the cases get dealt with quickly.
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