Solomon's Deputy PM revealed that seven former government appointees still sucking the public purse

Solomon Islands Deputy Prime Minister Fred Fono has revealed that seven political appointees recruited by the former Grand Coalition for Change Government are still on government's payroll.

Speaking in parliament yesterday during debate on the 2005-2006 report of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Fono said government needs to put in place measures to monitor recommendations contained in the P-A-C reports.

He cited failure to terminate the salaries of the seven political appointees as an example of the Finance and Treasury Ministry not acting on a recommendation from the Prime Minister's Office.

Mr Fono said the seven political appointees have inflated the number of political appointees for which the Opposition Leader had criticised government.

He said Cabinet had made a decision to terminate the contracts of the seven political appointments made by the former government.

Mr Fono said it is important the Treasury acts on recommendations from line ministries by terminating the salaries of staff who are terminated to reflect the position of the current government.

He said the total salary package of the seven appointees is three-million dollars per annum.

Mr Fono said one of them receives a fortnightly basic salary of 13-thousand.

He said another is drawing a fuel allowance of three-thousand a fortnight.

Mr Fono says the Ministry of Finance and Treasury should address this area.

He said the same applies to teachers whose employment had been terminated but are still on the payroll.

Mr Fono said the salary of ghost teachers should be diverted to untrained teachers in the provinces who have been serving for over a year without pay.

Source: SIBC