Public sector reform - Government must deliver on promises

A LOT of strong words were spoken at yesterday’s launch of the Government’s public sector reform programme — words like efficiency, flexibility, innovation, reinvigoration, radical restructuring and transformation.

If it all sounded a bit familiar that’s because much of it was said before, to accompany the launch three years ago this month of a document called Transforming Public Services.

It too promised to reduce the public sector wage bill, eliminate waste and duplication, centralise operations like procurement and IT, tackle under-performance and put the citizen at the centre of its efforts.