By Staff Writer
Opposition eyebrows stretched higher than usual in Parliament when it became apparent that Cabinet Ministers were adding on more top level staff as policy advisers to guide them in their ministerial responsibilities.
The new staff recruitment showed up in the budget allocations debated last week for Ministries and Corporations or state owned enterprises.
The additional staff are direct appointments by the Ministers at the same salary scale of an Assistant CEO in the Ministry.
What caught the opposition members attention is why the need for policy advisers with the CEO and all the ACEOS around to advice the Minister.
The Minister of Works, Olo Vaai, defended the new Government hiring policy as necessary to employ people with different skills to give policy advice.
But his defence did not wash against a strong wave of sceptical reactions in the House to dispute the claims.
HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi felt insulted and lashed out at the Minister not to “…lie to Parliament.”
With CEO’s and ACEOs around, Tuilaepa failed to see why there is a need for more advisers.
“Why have too many policy advisers with all those big salaries? Are there any policy concerns to worry about?”
Former Minister of Works Tapunu’u Niko Lee Hang puzzled over the Minister’s need for policy advisers.
“I didn’t need to have any in my time so why now?” Tapunu’u asked.
The run of opinions also struggled against the hiring of highly paid staff members while the Ministry budget is cut by $11m tala.
The Minister of Finance made a similar top level hiring with an additional secretary to help with review and analysis duties.
Works Minister Olo retaliated with “…we hire as we see fit” to return some sting back at the pummeling from the Government critics.
The FAST Government has questioned the loyalty of the top level staff in the public service since they took up power.
The insecurity has already cost the Attorney General and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly their jobs because they did not have the confidence of the new Government.
Several other CEOS have resigned with others still uncertain whether the FAST Government axe will fall on them too for the same insecurities.