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Administration says it cut locally-funded personnel
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Posted on Mar 17 2005
Since coming to office in January 2002, the Babauta administration has cut the number of locally-funded positions in the Executive Branch by 18, according to Finance Secretary Fermin Atalig. The administration also cut total salary expenditures by $2.6 million, he said.
Over the same period, the Judiciary added one staff, while the Legislature added 22 workers—a jump of 13 percent, Atalig said in a report on changes in personnel during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
According to Atalig, increased hiring by the Legislature has added $564,000 to the cost of running the government.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta commended the Cabinet on the reductions, but told Executive Branch department heads to “keep trimming.”
“We have to continue looking for ways to do a better job for the public, while being more efficient in our use of the taxpayers’ dollars,” said Babauta.
“We have shown we can stop the trend of ever-increasing local spending on Executive Branch personnel and still deliver public services. We have to continue that effort.”
In a statement from the Governor’s Office, it said the administration was able to achieve its overall cut in locally-funded personnel despite adding 25 workers, who were transferred from the Mariana Visitors Authority. The purpose of this transfer was to consolidate parks and grounds maintenance, eliminate duplication of machinery, and achieve great efficiency in government operations.
The administration also added 123 nurses to the locally-funded payroll, who were previously employed by a manpower agency. This consolidation was made on the recommendation of the Office of Public Auditor, because it said the move would improve the quality of service the public receives at the Commonwealth Health Center.
Despite adding these 148 MVA employees and nurses, the statement said the Executive Branch today has a net 18 fewer workers than when the administration came into office. (PR)
