ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE (Acting Appointments)

Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Prime Minister if he will state the number of posts in the various grades, including the superscale grades, of the Administrative Service which were held in an acting capacity on 1st February, 1976, grouped under convenient periods during which the posts were so held.

The Prime Minister: The number of posts in the various grades of the Administrative Service which were held in an acting capacity as on 1st February, 1976 is as follows: 4 in the grade of Permanent Secretary. Grade C' 14 in the grade of Deputy Secretary. Grade E' 16 in the grade of Deputy Secretary, Grade `G' 43 in the grade of Principal Assistant Secretary 56 in the grade of Assistant Secretary and 13 in the grade of Administrative Assistant.

The acting appointments of the grades mentioned are normally approved by the Public Service Commission for a period of 6 months or a year.

The number of acting appointments in the Administrative Service has increased in recent years. This is because there are not enough mature officers to fill the posts substantively. Many promising officers in the 30-45 age group had left the service to join the private sector in the years of rapid economic growth. Hence the present exercise to try out able young officers in senior positions.

Present position of Acting Appointments held by Administrative Officers is as follows: No. of Posts in Administrative Service 314 No. of Vacancies 68 No. of Administrative Officers 246 (including 6 on contract, re-employed) Less Cadet Administrative Assistants 24 No. of Permanent Administrative Officers (less those on contract and Cadet AAs) 216 No. of Permanent Administrative Officers Acting in Administrative and departmental grades 158 % of Officers acting = 158/216 = 73% % of Officers acting (excluding Permanent Secretaries) = 154/200 = 77%

The Prime Minister's Office, with the Public Service Commission and the Establishment Division. Ministry of Finance, are in the midst of an exercise, selecting able young officers to act in exacting posts. Those who rise to the challenge will have their promotions accelerated. The task is to identify talent, stretch them, and widen their experience through a wider spectrum of postings. As such officers prove themselves, they will be promoted and made to act in higher posts.

In the next few years, we should throw up enough officers of high calibre, whose grasp of our economic, and social problems, and whose administrative capacities are such as will enable them to fill very senior positions, despite their relative youthfulness. The number of acting appointments will gradually decrease.

The success of this programme depends on the PSC, with the help of the Head of the Civil Service and the senior officers being able to identify these able officers. And these young officers who prove their ability and show promise of greater capacity should not lose their balance. Then they will rise rapidly and win the respect and confidence of their contemporaries and even their seniors. We must fill this gap between the few able senior officers now in the "A", "B" & "C" superscales who are carrying a disproportionate share of the responsibilities and the lower superscale and upper-time scale officers.