Sunday, April 20, 2025

Kau backtracks from controversial decision

The Commissioner of Prisons, Herman Kau, has climbed down from his controversial decision to bar officers of the Prisons Department from making direct submissions to the Presidential Commission on the review of Public Service Salaries and Conditions of Service.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister, Charles Tibone, told Parliament on Friday that “the Commissioner of Prisons issued a written instruction that officers should be discouraged by their supervisors from making individual representations to the salaries commission, but should instead submit their view and concerns to Headquarters for consolidation into a comprehensive submission.”

The minister said this was because management felt that “it would be more effective, more representative and that consistency would be achieved through a consolidated submission.”

He further told parliament that “subsequently, it transpired that some officers were not happy with this exclusive approach and the Commissioner of Prisons instructed Prison Commanders to inform their staff that they were free to make individual representations to the commission.”

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