Government perks - Abuse can’t be tolerated

People should welcome the decision of the Department of Finance to tighten rules relating to foreign travel by Government ministers and public servants. Henceforth they will have to cut out salubrious stays in five-star hotels in favour of less “extravagant” fare.

There is also a ban on paying the travel expenses of colleagues. Henceforth a minister’s department will have to pay his/her expenses and there can be no question of expenses being hidden in the expenditure of other government agencies. In addition, the new guidelines prohibit in any circumstances the trading down of a premium ticket to allow somebody else to travel free or at a reduced rate.

Any department or state agency which violates the 21-point travel guidelines can have its foreign budget frozen, but the sanctions should be much more serious. Such abuse of public money should be a sacking offence.

The guidelines were quietly introduced on July 1. Of course, people should really be asking why they were not introduced much earlier.

Surely it should not have taken the media exposure of the wanton extravagance highlighted in recent weeks and months to bring the Department of Finance, or the Government, to its senses.

The travel officer of each department will be responsible for enforcing the guidelines and will required to ensure there is a review every three to five years to ensure value for money. At the initial stage surely there should be a much earlier review to ensure that such abuse of the public purse has been stamped out completely.