600 officials to lose position in NTT

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