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NOW that the government and its workers have concluded the 2014 salary negotiations, it should be back to business. Another salary review is expected mid-year. The parties agreed that the implementation of non-monetary and indigenisation benefits should take centre stage.
The government has also agreed to mobilise an additional $3 million every month for the decompression of salary grades, a move that would see the workers being paid according to seniority, qualification and experience. We want at this juncture to applaud both parties for managing to find common ground which has seen them concluding the negotiations. The challenge now is on the civil servants who should deliver to expectations.
Members of the public expect improved service delivery now that morale has been boosted. It is a fact that the civil servants got slightly below what they were demanding but what is important is that government has pledged its commitment to continue improving their working conditions. What government has offered the workers is what it can afford at the moment given the many economic challenges facing the country.
Many industries are operating below capacity while others have been completely closed down. Government and the private sector have embarked on a number of programmes aimed at reviving industries. It is our hope that it will not take long to turn around the economy given the commitment from both government and the private sector.
Zimbabwe is endowed with mineral resources and as such the mining industry is expected to play a pivotal role in turning around the economy. Zimbabwe requires new investors from both within and outside that can exploit the abundant resources for its benefit. An efficient and corrupt-free public service is a must if the country is to attract new investors especially from outside the country.
Government, while working to improve the conditions of service for its workers, should at the same time be cleaning the public service by getting rid of corrupt elements. There have been reports of senior government officials including cabinet ministers demanding bribes from potential investors. It is such elements that do not only tarnish the image of the public service but scare away investors. It is time such undesirable elements are removed from our system.
Government should put in place mechanisms to quickly detect corruption and other malpractices within the public services so that corruption is nipped in the bud. Individuals who scare away investors for self-aggrandisement have no place in our public service. Government has sacrificed the limited funding available to improve salaries for its workers and workers should pay back by improving service delivery.
What is pleasing is that government has agreed to provide non-monetary benefits such as housing stands to its workers. It should no longer be business as usual in the public service but instead each worker should strive to do his or her best so that at the end of the day there is an efficient and corrupt free public service. The days of hanging jackets in offices only to return to the offices to knock off are over. It is incumbent upon supervisors to ensure that their subordinates perform to expectations.
Online Reporter