600 officials to lose position in NTT

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: At least 600 high and mid-level officials in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) will lose their positions when Government Regulation No. 8/2003 on the reorganization of provincial administrations takes effect early in 2004.

According to the regulation, provincial administrations are only allowed 10 portfolio offices, eight agencies, six bureaus and four assistants, which is meant to make the administrations more efficient and effective.

The secretary of the NTT provincial administration, Thobias Hermanus, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday the 600 officials would lose their positions after the current 17 portfolio offices were merged into 10 and the current eight bureaus were merged into six.

"As of next January, the officials will no longer receive monthly job allowances, which currently range from Rp 450,000 (US$54) to Rp 1.5 million ($182), and other facilities such as official cars and houses," he said, adding that the reorganization was expected to cut the provincial budget by up to 40 percent.

He also said the provincial administration would offer early retirement to officials. --JP