E. Flores streamlines bureaucracy

The Jakarta Post, Kupang

As part of efforts to streamline the bureaucracy, East Flores Regent Simon Hayon is planning to liquidate 142 posts in the regency administration. The plan is being proposed to the East Flores Regency Legislative Council for approval.

The measure is aimed at economizing spending for government officials, allowing the government to shift the budget more for public spending such as building public infrastructure or increasing the education budget.

"The government officials will surely be mad, but I believe the policy will be backed by the majority of East Flores people most of whom are fishermen and farmers," said Simon on Saturday.

Those officials whose posts will be abolished would still work at the administration by assuming non-structural positions, but they will lose the allowance given for the structural position.

The decision to streamline the bureaucracy takes place after the regental government conducted a study on government spending in the regency, said Simon.

According to the study, the regental government has so far spent between Rp 6 billion and 8 billion a year to cover spending by government officials, including allowances and trips to the regions. By streamlining the bureaucracy, the government will have more money to subsidize education to prevent children dropping out of school or to help the farmers and the fishermen, said Simon.

Under the plan, eight out of 17 offices at the regental secretariat will be abolished. The nine offices that would remain exist are agriculture, education, health, public works, forestry and plantations, fisheries and maritime affairs, transportation and tourism, cooperatives and small and medium enterprises and the trade and industry office.