Civil Servants revolt over Israel arms sales

LONDON (April 8): Civil Servants in three European countries have called on their Governments to end arms deliveries to Israel because of the prolonged Gaza conflict.

The strongest reaction has been in the United Kingdom where the powerful Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has warned the Government it is "seriously considering" taking legal action to allow Departmental officials to cease involvement in the export of arms to Israel.

The PCS is understood to be seeking an urgent meeting with senior officials at the Department for Business and Trade over concerns that the supply of UK weapons to Israel is illegal under international law because of its conduct in Gaza.

In Germany, a group of Civil Servants has written to Chancellor, Olaf Scholz and other senior Ministers calling on the Government to “cease arm deliveries to the Israeli Government with immediate effect”.

“Israel is committing crimes in Gaza that are in clear contradiction to international law and thus to the Constitution, which we are bound to as Federal Civil Servants and public employees,” the letter states.

It cites the International Court of Justice’s ruling in January that Israel’s military actions are “plausible acts of genocide”.

Former Netherlands diplomat, Angelique Eijpe said she had resigned from the Dutch Foreign Ministry over Gaza policy.

“The framework of international humanitarian law was completely cast aside in Gaza, which will damage the Netherlands’ standing in the world,” Ms Eijpe said.

“I felt like I had no choice but to resign.”

In the UK, former National Security Adviser, Lord Peter Ricketts added his voice to the call for his country to stop selling arms to Israel.

"I think the time has come to send that signal," he told BBC Radio. “There's abundant evidence now that Israel hasn't been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians."

Lord Peter (pictured) said halting arms sales would send a powerful political message to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu that could spark debate about the United States following suit.

The moves come after seven aid workers were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza.

A UK Government spokesperson said: "We keep advice on Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian law under review and will act in accordance with that advice.”

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Mexico goes to ICJ over embassy invasion

 

MEXICO CITY (April 10): Mexico is to file a complaint against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice after the raid on its embassy in Quito, during which former Ecuadoran Vice President, Jorge Glas, granted diplomatic asylum by Mexico, was arrested.

 

The two countries have already severed diplomatic ties, with the raid prompting international condemnation.

The incident came a day after Ecuador expelled Mexico’s Ambassador after Mexican President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador insinuated his Ecuadorian counterpart, Daniel Noboa had benefited from the assassination of a rival candidate during last year’s Presidential elections.

Former journalist and Presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated in August 2023.

Mr Noboa said the granting of diplomatic asylum to Mr Glas, who is facing corruption charges, was an "illicit act”.

 

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Biden’s PS protection may not stop Trump

WASHINGTON (April 5): United States President, Joe Biden will not be able to shield Federal Public Servants from political retaliation should his election rival, Donald Trump, win the election in November, a former official in the Trump White House says.

Former President Trump has promised to dismantle the so-called ‘deep state’ of entrenched Federal bureaucrats he says resisted his policies during his previous Administration.

Under Mr Biden’s orders, the Office of Personnel Management has announced a rule to strengthen Public Service protections, aiming to stymie Mr Trump’s plan to revive Schedule F, a class of Federal employees he created that could be fired more easily.

However, former Trump official, James Sherk said a Trump Administration could roll back the rule. “This is something that can slow down a Schedule F but only by six months to a year,” Mr Sherk said.

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Troops in face-off with sacked workers

BUENOS AIRES (April 5): The Argentine Government his initiated mass lay-offs of State workers, deploying security forces to block dismissed officers from re-entering their former workplaces.

Minister for Security, Patricia Bullrich said she had authorised the deployment of troops to guard public buildings in response to industrial action by the State Workers’ Association, which has called for an all-out strike in protest at the Government’s latest moves.

Demonstrations and meetings were held at various sites around the capital, Buenos Aires amid reports that as many as 15,000 contracted workers had been let go as part of President, Javier Milei’s  austerity push.

Mr Milei says he plans to cut around 70,000 jobs from the Civil Service over the next year. Argentina has more than 332,000 State workers.

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EU woos Armenia with project funding

YEREVAN (April 5): The European Union is to allocate €270 million ($A443 million) to Armenia over the next four years for electrification and new renewable energy projects.

The move comes as Armenia continues to cut ties with its former ally, Russia, which owns much of its energy network and infrastructure but has failed to step in amid a worsening confrontation with neighbouring Azerbaijan.

In recent weeks Armenia has suspended its membership of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation, has invited United States troops to train in the country, dispatched aid to Ukraine and even suggested it could try to join the European Union itself.

European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen praised these measures. “They show that the European Union and Armenia are increasingly aligned in values and interests,” she said.

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Georgia returns to controversial law

TBILISI (April 4): Georgia’s Ministry of Justice is reviewing a controversial law that will brand charities, pressure groups and opposition media outlets as agents of foreign influence.

The move comes just over a year after the law was dropped in the face of a public outcry and street protests in the capital, Tbilisi.

Parliamentary Leader of the ruling Georgian Dream Party, Mamuka Mdinaradze said  the legislation would be virtually unchanged, requiring organisations receiving funding from overseas to declare they were carrying out the interests of a foreign power.

Critics say the Bill will impose additional onerous reporting requirements, inspections, and administrative and criminal liability, including up to five years in prison for violations by what were, in most cases, civil society groups.

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Audit uncovers widespread fraud at Agency

MONROVIA (April 2): A damning audit of Liberia’s Civil Service Agency has prompted its newly-appointed Director-General, Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., to order a comprehensive overhaul.

The report, by the General Auditing Commission (GAC), found instances of fraudulent payments made to individuals for services not rendered and payments to ghost employees, resulting in “significant financial losses due to fraud and mismanagement of funds”.

The findings uncovered other irregularities, including the payment of full salaries to employees on study leave and unauthorised absences, highlighting serious flaws in payroll management. 

Mr Joekai, who took over the role earlier this year, said he was shocked by the report and especially the “astronomically” high expenditure on consultants that did not reflect the quality of consultancy provided. “This undermines the integrity and efficiency of the Civil Service and will be corrected,” he said.

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Civil Service exam critic slammed

NEW DELHI (April 4): Former senior Indian bureaucrats have slammed comments by a member of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, Sanjeev Sanyal, that up to eight years of preparation for the Civil Service examination by tens of thousands of students “is a waste of youthful energy”.

Former Finance Secretary, Arvind Mayaram said that while Mr Sanyal was welcome to his views, they were off the mark and smacked of gross ignorance.

"I believe that there is no service in the world that offers the wide canvas of experience of public policy and governance that determines the lives of common people,” Mr Mayaram said.

His criticisms were echoed by former Indian Administrative Service officer, M.G. Devasahayam who said Mr Sanyal had little knowledge of the Civil Service, seeing it through a corporate prism “and that is a mistake”.

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 Ministry seeks better product safety standards

TOKYO (April 7): In a move aimed at improving the safety of foreign-made products in Japan, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry will require overseas businesses that sell via the internet to appoint a person in Japan to supervise safety management and troubleshooting.

In a statement, the Ministry said with that person in place, it would be able to request the removal of products not meeting Japanese safety standards. The new law is expected to come into force next year.

In recent years, products that violate national safety standards have been sold directly to consumers online.

According to the Ministry, the number of serious incidents caused by products obtained online has increased from 73 in 2019 to 103 in 2022. These included fires caused by mobile batteries and damage to a child’s internal organs after they accidentally swallowed a toy that contained powerful magnets.

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Flexible work to ease Manila congestion

MANILA (April 4): The Philippines Civil Service Commission (CSC) says it will encourage flexible work arrangements across Government Agencies, recognising that rigid office working is prone to disruption and hinders productivity. 

The CSC cited the need to ease Metro Manila's road congestion by adopting remote work alternatives.

“Limiting physical reporting to offices can significantly reduce road congestion stemming from daily commutes. Allowing more personnel to accomplish tasks from home or remote locations will take pressure off the metro’s transportation infrastructure,” the CSC said in a statement.

“Adopting flexible work arrangements enables Agencies to become more resilient against disruptions, while promoting a better work-life balance for officials,” the statement said.

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PM backflips over Ramadan payment

KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim has done a backflip over an end-of-Ramadan (Aidilfitri)  payment to the country’s Civil Servants, just days after saying there would be no such payment this year.

Mr Anwar announced a RM500 ($A159) special financial assistance Aidilfitri payment to Government employees on Grade 56 and below. He also agreed to distribute a similar amount to all Government retirees.

President of the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs), Adnan Mat said Mr Anwar’s change of heart proved the Prime Minister was always open to listening to the union’s views, even though he had initially refused a special Aidilftri payment.

“Therefore, Cuepacs expresses the highest appreciation and gratitude to the Government for agreeing to give the Aidilfitri,” Mr Adnan said.

 

A regular update of Public Service news and events from around the world.

 

 

Luxury train set for Winter Olympics

An Italian company formed from the inspiration provided by an old railway timetable has announced that the completion of its first winter program has been a great success.

 

Throughout the colder months FS Treni Turistici Italiani has been running an overnight express train service from Rome-to-Cortina, the Alpine town that will host the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

 

Company Chief Executive, Luigi Francesco Cantamessa says he got the idea of a train linking Rome with the Ampezzo Valley while browsing a 2011 railroad timetable of the now defunct Rome-Calalzo di Cadore run.

 

“We took the carriages that had been decommissioned and revitalised them with made-in-Italy furnishings. We are aiming for the full tourism experience,” Mr Cantamessa said. 

 

“There is nothing like the pleasure of dining with tables laid out with fabric tablecloths, and lying down at night, listening to the rolling wheels of the train.”

 

He said FS Treni Turistici Italiani was the only Italian company dedicated to tourist transportation.

 

“We want to reintroduce the traditional railway with glassed-in carriages for people to admire the view, sleeping cars, and restaurant cars where they can taste the food and wine specialties of the area.” Mr Cantamessa said.

 

“After our initial success we have plans to extend our service to other parts of Italy and beyond.” 

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PM visits military vehicle supplier

 

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese has visited Rheinmetall’s 11-hectare facility at Redbank in South-East Queensland to view the work of the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force.

 

The Prime Minister was shown production line, armour producing, welding and test track facilities.

 

Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, Nathan Poyner said Mr Albanese‘s visit celebrated the largest-ever defence export and import order of more than 120 Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles to the German Army.

 

He said the Heavy Weapon Carrier was based on the Boxer Combat Vehicle, the wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle of the Australian Defence Force, also supplied by Rheinmetall.

 

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Concern at Australian visa changes

New research has revealed that 41 per cent of international students in Australia are unaware of recent migration policy changes targeting international student visas in order to cut migration numbers.

More than four in five current and past international students have applied for, are in the process of applying for, or are likely to apply for an Australian permanent resident visa.  

Founder and Chief Executive of Ascent One, which carried out the research, Naresh Gulati said Australia risked sacrificing future citizens at its own cost.

“While the majority of students still recommend Australia as a place to study, our reputation as a world-class destination for study is shaky at best and needs urgent attention.” Mr Gulati said.

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Acquisition to boost supply of cancer drug

Paris-based nuclear medicine company, Curium has acquired Eczacıbaşı-Monrol Nuclear Product Co of Istanbul.

The acquisition is expected to bring together highly complementary geographical footprints, lutetium-177 (Lu-177) capabilities, and PET and SPECT nuclear medicine infrastructure, and will assist Curium in meeting the growing international demand for Lu-177 medicine.

Lu-177 is a new treatment for advanced metastatic prostate cancer, specifically targeting a molecule on the surface of prostate cancer cells called PSMA.

It has been proven to significantly increase prostate cancer survival rates and quality of life, as well as extend the time it takes for the disease to progress. 

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Watchmaker unveils its latest wonders

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, a brand ambassador for Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, IWC Schaffhausen, has appeared at the company’s booth for the opening of the Watches and Wonders trade show in Geneva.

This year’s IWC presentation is entitled A Tribute to Eternity, reflecting the endless cycle of day and night. On display at its booth are watches in new colours — silver moon, horizon blue, dune, and obsidian — all reflecting the overall theme of the day-night cycle.

 IWC also unveiled its new Portugieser collection with reworked designs, new colour codes, and new complications such as the Portugieser Eternal Calendar.

Public admission to the show is from April 13-to-15.

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Award for data protection company

Data protection company HYCU Inc., has received the 2024 Google Cloud Technology Partner of the Year Award for backup and disaster recovery.

Chief Executive and founder of HYCU Inc., Simon Taylor said that in a year when the threat landscape had evolved to put companies at an even higher risk of data loss due to cyber threats, HYCU had built an industry-leading solution on Google Cloud.

“HYCU’s innovation has also helped drive more growth for Google. All of us at HYCU are excited and proud to be named a Partner of the Year. It is yet another milestone as we look to solve the world’s modern data-protection challenges,” Mr Taylor said.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, HYCU has so far raised $US140 million ($A212 million) in venture capital funding.

An occasional round-up of international business stories

 

 

International tourism ready to boom

People are finally shaking off their post-pandemic reluctance to travel and are making up for lost time, according to a new report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). 

International wanderlust is projected to contribute a record $US11.1 trillion ($A16.9 trillion) to global economies this year, some $US770 billion ($A1.1 trillion) higher than the previous annual total.

The desire to travel is not just restricted to the wealthier nations, with the WTTC predicting that 142 out of 185 countries analysed will out-perform previous national records.

President and Chief Executive of the WTTC, Julia Simpson said the report, written in partnership with Oxford Economics, showcased a sector brimming with opportunities, underpinning almost 348 million jobs worldwide.

“This represents an increase of more than 13.6 million jobs compared to its highest point in 2019,” Ms Simpson said.

She said this growth had come despite two of the world’s biggest tourism markets lagging in terms of international visitor spending, with both the United States and China seeing a far slower return to previous levels.

Last year US’s international visitor spending remained more than a quarter below the peak of 2019, while China’s remained almost 60 per cent down.

“This is a risk; we need the US and Chinese Governments to support their national travel and tourism sectors,” Ms Simpson said.  

Despite this, the WTTC is forecasting that the next decade will be characterised by robust growth and unparalleled career opportunities, with tourism contributing a staggering $US16 trillion ($A24.3 trillion) to global economies annually, making up 11.4 per cent of the entire economic landscape.

“We believe travel and tourism is on the brink of its most transformative era yet, promising prosperity, innovation, and connection on a scale never seen before.” Ms Simpson said.

 

Resolute under fire: Officers plot EU course

KYIV (March 31): Living always with the possibility of Russian bombardment, Ukraine’s Civil Servants are working steadily and defiantly to lead the country towards membership of the European Union and a place among Western democracies.

Many senior officers in the 208,000-strong bureaucracy recognise the huge reforms that will be needed to be successful, but even as the Russian invaders put increasing pressure on Ukraine’s eastern front lines, they are determined to press on.

After the invasion, now more than two years old, the Civil Service swiftly transitioned to emergency mode by relocating to safer buildings, adopting more agile working practices, and expediting decision-making.

This resilience ensured that public services continued and State institutions functioned as well as they could under conditions of war, even as many officers had to relocate or leave the service altogether to join the army.

According to one official, this resilience also helped address the reputation for corruption that had grown up around Ukraine. “If the State really had been hollowed out by graft, it would have collapsed in a matter of days,” the official said.

While the 261,000 members of the armed forces are the heroes of the hour, the officer said it was the “the task of the Civil Service to win the peace after the army wins the war on the battlefield”.

This is especially important for Ukraine’s EU journey and the country’s recovery and reconstruction. It is, therefore, crucial for Ukraine and its international partners to invest in the capacities of Civil Servants.

Lesia Ogryzko, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, has called for Kyiv and the EU to cooperate on a comprehensive strategy to support the Civil Service.

“EU institutions, along with countries from the last two waves of EU accession, should offer Ukrainian Civil Servants extensive on-site training and experience-sharing sessions on the negotiation process, the negotiation framework, access to structural funds, and related topics,” Ms Ogryzko said.

“The EU should include Ukrainian Civil Servants in internal discussions around the shape of the reforms that are needed, so that they can consider them from the perspective of a future member State.”

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NZ Parliament ‘hacked by Chinese’

WELLINGTON (March 29): New Zealand intelligence services have accused a Chinese cyber espionage group, known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT 40), of being involved in a cyber hack on Parliament in 2021.

The State-sponsored APT 40 is believed to have gathered technical information on Parliamentary services that would have allowed for more intrusive activity in the future. Nothing of a sensitive or strategic nature was reportedly stolen in this initial raid.

Authorities also said that seven New Zealand citizens allegedly provided training to China’s military in the past 18 months, which a top intelligence official said constituted a “major national security risk”.

Foreign Minister, Winston Peters said actions like this were unacceptable. “We have urged China to refrain from such activity in future,” Mr Peters said.

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Rutte closer to NATO’s top job

THE HAGUE (April 2): Support is growing for current Dutch Caretaker Prime Minister, Mark Rutte to become the next Secretary-General of NATO, after Lithuania and Estonia came on board.

This means 28 of the 32 NATO States are now backing Mr Rutte, who will step down from his caretaker position as soon as a new Netherlands Government is formed after post-election negotiations are completed.

Lithuanian President, Gitanas Nauseda said Mr Rutte was one of the first European politicians to recognise the Russian threat to NATO generally after the invasion of Ukraine.

Estonian Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas announced her position on X, saying a strong NATO should focus on Russia, increase defence spending and support Ukraine's membership. "I have discussed this in depth with Mark Rutte and he commits to these priorities,” she said.

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Departments in dark over failing staff

LONDON (April 1): A report by the United Kingdom National Audit Office (NAO) has found that almost one in five Government Departments do not know how many under-performing workers they have — and most are unable to say how much it costs to hire new staff.

The NAO, which oversees public spending, said 11 out of 16 Departments also failed to identify how long it takes for new recruits to pass security vetting.

The report comes against a backdrop of promised cuts to the Civil Service and increased workload pressures in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis.

Head of the NAO, Gareth Davies said the Cabinet Office and Departments “need to work together more effectively to drive efficiency” to help the Civil Service meet the challenges it faces.

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Officers told to ‘stand-up’ to Ministers

SINGAPORE (March 27): Singaporean Civil Servants have been urged to stand up to Ministers if they disagree with what the politicians are doing — an absolute necessity if the country’s democratic system is to work properly.

Senior Minister, Teo Chee Hean said that as a young political office-holder, he benefited from the wise counsel of many senior Civil Servants.

“They spoke and acted with integrity and courage, and I have great respect for them. It reminds me these days to listen and learn from younger officers so that they are encouraged to share their considered views and to justify them,” Mr Teo said in a speech to senior bureaucrats at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

“However, besides speaking truth to power, Civil Servants need to bring power to truth, convincing Ministers through the conviction behind their ideas and advice.”

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Officials question proposed border law

HELSINKI (April 2): Officers from the Finnish Border Guard have taken issue with the Government in its attempt to introduce legislation to discourage the Russian ‘weaponisation’ of migrants on the border between the two countries.

A statement issued by the officials argues that the proposed Bill would violate the foundations of the Finnish State, threatening constitutional order and rule-of-law principles.

“The obvious conflicts between the Bill and other binding pieces of legislation that regulate the actions of officers will result in situations where the official interpreting and enacting the law cannot, in practice, avoid violating their official duty,” the officers claimed.

The Bill would enable the Government to temporarily suspend the right of people to seek international protection at and in the immediate vicinity of borders. During such a suspension, border officers would have the authority to remove people from Finnish soil.

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Korean bureaucrats rushing to the exit

SEOUL (March 27): An alarming exodus of South Korean Public Servants has been identified by the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA), with as many as 13,566 officers quitting their jobs less than five years into their careers in 2023 — 3,020 walking out in their first year.

The KIPA identified low pay as the biggest drawback, with the starting salary of an entry-level worker fixed at ₩1,877,000 won ($A2,128), less than the monthly minimum wage of  ₩2,060,000 won ($A2,335) .

“The rigid and demanding bureaucratic work culture also is a damper. Unpaid overtime is a norm, and many often have to devote their weekends to handling Local Government events,” the KIPA said.  

“There are also many complaints about dumping the most difficult work on a new recruit, while assigning simple office work to a senior.”

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Management blamed for productivity failings

KINGSTON (March 29): As the Jamaican Government moves to implement the next phase of its public sector compensation review, Prime Minister, Andrew Holness has reiterated a call for increased productivity in the bureaucracy.

“The public sector is made up of people; we have to get those people to be more efficient — however, productivity is a complex issue, partly driven by motivation fuelled by compensation,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr Holness said a key part of productivity is management “and the culture of managing our resources for efficient delivery is not a culture that is deeply entrenched in our Public Service”.

He said the Government had put in place the compensation review program, which in part was about increasing pay levels, “so this should be a major motivating factor”.

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Mayoral candidate killed on street

MEXICO CITY (April 2): A candidate for Mayor in one of Mexico’s most violent cities has been gunned down and killed while campaigning for the position. Three other people, including an aspirant for a Council position, were wounded.

Gisela Gaytán, the Morena Party’s candidate for Mayor of Celaya, Guanajuato, was delivering an address on the street in San Miguel Octopan, a suburb about 10 kilometres north-east of downtown Celaya.

The murder came just one day after the campaign period officially got under way in Guanajuato ahead of elections on June 2.

Just hours before she was killed, Ms Gaytán (38) had asked for protection during her campaign in Celaya, a city of more than half a million people in south-eastern Guanajuato, Mexico’s most violent State in terms of total homicides.

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Problem-solving bureaucrats praised 

 

ABUJA (March 28): The head of Nigeria’s Civil Service has commended bureaucrats for their performance in the “transformative and innovative service” introduced by the Federal Government.

 

Speaking at an award ceremony for the 2023 Innovation Competition, Folasade Yemi-Esan said officers had been able to find solutions to many issues.

 

“It is pleasing to note that our resolve to sustain innovation in the service and discourage the suppression of ideas is yielding tangible results,” Ms Yemi-Esan said.

 

“Nigerian Civil Servants can produce the best results when they are engaged and provided with an enabling environment to express themselves in their work.”

 

A regular update of Public Service news and events from around the world

 

NZ officers rush to find new jobs

WELLINGTON (March 26): The New Zealand Government’s determination to slash the Public Service is proving to be a bonanza for recruitment agencies as workers head for the exit in an attempt to beat the expected rush.

The Ministry for Primary Industries has announced it is looking to cut 231 staff, while the Ministry of Health is consulting on cutting 180 roles.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has made a second call on its staff to accept voluntary redundancy.

It has already received 111 applications, and those staff will be leaving on March 31.

Senior Director at the Robert Walters Agency, Bridget Clarke said the Public Service cuts were set to have a big impact in Wellington.

"We've definitely seen an uplift in candidate applications and there's also been a rise in the quality of candidates applying for roles," Ms Clarke said.

"We've seen applications from candidates with exceptional skills and talent, so if you're a hiring manager, now's a great time to be looking to hire."

Ms Clarke said many in the public sector would have skills that were transferrable to other areas.

However, it remained to be seen how many would be willing to transfer out of Wellington, to big job markets like Auckland and Australia.

"Remote working will be interesting to watch. Post-COVID, we've obviously seen an uplift in remote working, so that will be something that people can consider," Ms Clarke said

She said Robert Walters' eight Australian offices had already seen an increase in enquiries from New Zealand workers.

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Minister plans ‘transformation’ of judiciary

BUENOS AIRES (March 22): Argentina’s Justice Minister, Mariano Cúneo Libarona says he plans an “absolute transformation” of Argentina’s justice system, including steps to change the penal code and introduce trial by jury.

Calling it an historic moment in Argentina’s history, Mr Libarona said there would be a complete change to the accusatory system, as all cases would be assessed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which would then decide how to proceed.

"This means the presence of a prosecutor who investigates, the defence and an impartial, different judge who performs the essential jurisdictional tasks," he said.

“Every case goes to the Public Prosecutor who analyses whether the case is worth investigating or whether it is insignificant; whether an abbreviated trial or a conciliation approach can be proposed." 

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President pressured over anti-gay law

ACCRA (March 22): The Speaker of Ghana's Parliament says he will block approval of new Ministers until President Nana Akufo-Addo signs an anti-LGBTQ+ Bill approved by Parliament last month.

Speaker, Alban Bagbin has condemned as “contemptuous” the President’s delay over the legislation, that criminalises gay relationships and anyone who supports them.

President Akufo-Addo is under intense pressure from those Ghanaians who want him to sign it into law, and from Western donors and human rights groups who are urging him not to approve it.

The Bill has been challenged in the Supreme Court on the ground there was not a quorum in Parliament when it was passed, and Presidential Secretary, Nana Asante Bediatuo said it would be improper for the President to sign it until the court makes a decision on the matter.

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Inflation-linked pay rise for officers

PRETORIA (March 21): South Africa’s Department of Public Service and Administration has announced that the country’s Civil Servants will receive a 4.7 per cent pay rise from April 1.

This is in line with a two-year wage deal signed by public sector trade unions in March last year which guaranteed a wage increase of 7.5 per cent for 2023-24 and an inflation-linked wage rise for 2024-25.

Department spokesperson, Moses Mushi said the figure was based on the South African Reserve Bank’s forecast from the second quarter of 2024 to the end of the first quarter of 2025, which was about 4.6 per cent.

In addition, qualifying bureaucrats, including the lowest-paid and those who have received a satisfactory performance rating, will also receive a ‘pay progression’ increase of 1.5 per cent from July.

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Union hits back over work-shy allegation

SAINT PETER PORT (March 23): A former Deputy Chief Minister of Guernsey has accused the Channel Island’s Public Servants of trying to avoid work they are mandated to do.

Mark Helyar made the allegation after it was found officials knew about a potential £30 million ($A58 million) hospital cost overrun, saying that the message 'we don't have any money' did not seem to be getting through to the Civil Service.

A spokesperson for Prospect, the union which represents Civil Servants in Guernsey, said union members were dedicated and had no right of reply when criticised.

"We would like to remind everyone that the Civil Service is a body of people that works hard, often in demanding circumstances, to ensure that islanders receive effective public services across a wide range of areas,” the spokesperson said.

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Black Civil Service charge ‘divisive’

HAMILTON (March 25): A union representing Bermuda’s Public Servants has condemned comments made by Opposition candidate, Robert King as “deeply divisive”.

Mr King, who represents the One Bermuda Alliance, said young Bermudians were leaving the island because “they don’t feel their needs are getting addressed by a Black Government and a Black Civil Service who you would expect to be well equipped to deal with Black problems”.

President of the Bermuda Public Services Union, Armell Thomas said attributing the decision to leave the island solely to the racial composition of the Civil Service was not only misguided but deeply divisive.

“It undermines the integrity and dedication of every member of our diverse Civil Service who work tirelessly to serve Bermuda with unwavering commitment, regardless of race,” Mr Thomas said.

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Long road ahead to EU membership

SARAJEVO (March 22): Bosnia-Herzegovina’s path to membership of the European Union is open — but it is likely to be a long journey.

EU leaders have agreed in principle to begin membership negotiations after the European Commission agreed to start talks in spite of deep, lingering ethnic divisions in the nation of 3.2 million inhabitants.

President of the European Council, which defines the general political direction of the bloc, Charles Michel said Bosnia-Herzegovina’s place was with the European family, but a lot of work remained to be done.

He emphasised the need for the to keep on taking “all relevant steps set out by the Commission that include economic, judicial and political reforms as well as better efforts to tackle corruption and money laundering”.

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PM rejects end-of-Ramadan bonus

KUALA LUMPUR (March 26): Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim says there will be no special bonus payment for the country’s Civil Servants to mark the end of Ramadan (Hari Raya Aidilfitri), breaking a decade-long tradition. 

Mr Anwar said Government workers should have put aside part of the recent RM2,000 ($A648) early incentive payment for the celebration.

However, he sought to soften the blow by hinting there would be benefits, including salary increments, for Civil Servants once the review of the Public Service Remuneration System Study had been completed.

The Prime Minister was responding to a call from the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services to provide a Hari Raya Aidilfitri allowance to Civil Servants and Government retirees.

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Top bureaucrat quits male-only club

LONDON (March 21): The head of the United Kingdom Civil Service, Simon Case has resigned from the all-male private members’ Garrick Club after being questioned by MPs about his involvement in the institution.

His resignation comes despite having claimed to MPs that he was working to reform the club, saying it was “easier to change the all-male rule from within rather than chuck rocks from the outside”.

His comments came after The Guardian newspaper published the Garrick Club’s membership list, which it claimed included the King, Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden and Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6. Sir Richard is also reported to have quit the club.

Mr Case had been asked by Labour MP, Liam Byrne whether he could “foster a genuine culture of inclusiveness” in the Civil Service “while being a member of an all-male club”.

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