Tonga's Privy Council approves new structure for Public Service [1]
Friday, March 24, 2006 - 18:16. Updated on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - 10:18.
The Tonga Privy Council this morning, March 24 approved the restructuring of government ministries, for a leaner government with 14 ministries to replace the existing 16 ministries on July 1.
Paula Ma‘u, the Deputy Secretary of the Prime Minister...s Office said that most of the current ministries would remain in place, and a few would merge with others.
Under the new structure there are two new ministries. The new Ministry of Transport, is a merger of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Marine and Ports. The Ministry of Employment, Training, Youth and Sports is a merger of the employment functions of the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries, and the Training, and Youth and Sports divisions of the Ministry of Education.
Under the new structure each ministry will be led by a Minister and a Chief Executive Officer CEO.
Paula said there will be no change to the existing salary scale of 60%, 70% and 80%, but new contracts with new salary packages would be signed with CEOs before July 1. The two-year working contracts with Heads of Departments will expire on June 30.
Paula said that even though there was a reduction in the number of ministries from 16 to 14 but all current public servants would remain in the payroll of government. He said that there would be no redundancy under the new structure. ...Redundancy will come under a separate program,... said Paula.
New Strategic Structure for the Public Service
1. Prime Minister's Office, retains existing structure, except the Women and Development Centre which will be transferred to the Ministry of Education
2. Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence, retains existing structure and merges with the Tonga Defence Services
4. Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources and Environment, retains existing structure merges with Department of Environment
5. Ministry of Justice and Attorney General
6. Ministry of Police, Prisons and Fire Services
7. Ministry of Education, Women Affairs and Culture
8. Ministry of Health
9. Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Fisheries, retains its structure but merges with Ministry of Fisheries
10. Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries
11. Ministry of Tourism
12. Ministry of Works
13. Ministry of Transport
14. Ministry of Employment, Training, Youth and Sports