State rapped over plan to extend use of official fleet
AUDITOR-general Odysseas Michaelides on Thursday panned the government for its intention to expand the list of officials entitled to using official car services outside normal working hours.
In parliament, Michaelides said that, were MPs to approve the new regulations – currently under discussion – GPS tracking systems should be installed on the vehicles in question.
Currently, only the mileage is recorded.
Under the regulations tabled by the government the number of government and parliamentary officials allowed to use official car service outside office hours, would be increased.
At present, the particular officials who stand to benefit from the new regulations, whenever they are asked to attend official functions on behalf of the state during after-work hours, must first drive in their private cars to their workplace, where they are picked up and chauffeured to the various events.
To get around this ‘hassle’, the new regulations would make the official cars available to them 24/7.
“This is a waste, it’s over the top, and something that provokes the public sentiment,” Greens MP George Perdikis said of the proposed change.
The new regs apply to the following officials: the head of the Public Service Commission; the head of the Educational Service Commission; the permanent secretaries of the House; the permanent secretaries of ministries, junior ministries and the Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development; the Chief Registrar; the state Treasurer; the Director of the Office of the President; the Presidential Commissioner; and the cabinet Secretary.
The regulations must be approved by parliament.
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