CDC omits job body details
Draft urges ‘merit’ in picks for top posts
The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has agreed not to include in the draft charter details about a special body to consider appointments and transfers of top public officials, said a source close to the committee.
Under the original draft, the body, known as the Government Official Appointment Committee, would have seven members to consider the promotions of high-ranking state officials.
Two members would be chosen from the Civil Service Commission, three chosen from retired permanent secretaries by current permanent secretaries and the other two selected from chairmen of the ethics and morality committees at the ministries.
The committee has the authority to consider the appointments of the permanent secretary and the head of state agencies equivalent to the post of permanent secretary. Under the revised draft, the CDC has stopped short of saying where the members will now come from.
The draft charter only requires that the appointment of a government official should be in accordance with the merit system.
The details will then be addressed in an organic law to be drafted.
According to the source, the CDC’s decision is seen by some political observers as a blow to efforts to rein in political interference in the bureaucratic system.
Currently, a minister would consider the appointments and transfers of permanent secretaries, or C-11 level officials, and leave the lower positions to the permanent secretary to decide.
“The CDC has agreed the appointments of any state officials must be based on a merit system.
“It would be up to those drafting an organic law to work out the specifics. They can choose to stick to the original version or come up with something new,” said the source.
The source said critics of the original draft also argue that if the political office-holders are not allowed to have a say in appointments, it could undermine their ability to run the agencies under their responsibility.
According to the source, the CDC has also decided to drop a clause requiring any order in the administration of state affairs to be made in writing.
The decision follows the recommendations of the cabinet after it pointed out the issue is already covered by the 2003 royal decree on good governance.
The clause was introduced to ensure accountability of existing political office-holders.
On the charter sections involving public finance and budgeting, the CDC has followed the principles laid out in the original draft but temporarily suspended consideration of the definition of state funds.