A CHANGE in the culture of government is needed if savings are to be made in public finances, Chief Minister Allan Bell told Tynwald.
Mr Bell was replying to call from David Callister MLC who asked whether he would re-examine the 2006 scope and structure of government report.
The Chief Minister had previously announced that he proposed to reconstitute the original committee behind the 2006 report and he told Tynwald that an initial meeting had now been held.
He said the committee’s remit was to review only the recommendations relating to the scope of government, as he believed the structure of government did not require further review at this time. Mr Bell said the committee had been asked to provide a report to the Council of Ministers by March 31 next year and this would subsequently be brought to Tynwald.
Mr Callister said any ideas of further rearrangement of government departments should be dropped as this had been of little benefit. He said that hopefully the focus could be on areas where taxpayers’ money can be reduced or saved by government and private sector arrangements.
Mr Bell replied: ‘I do believe that government has had enough upheaval over the last 18 months in terms of the restructuring. There are one or two small areas I have initiated a review of, but it will not entail a wholesale review of the overall structure of government at this time.
‘I think officers across government need time now to consolidate and look towards the improvements that we need.
‘But, fundamentally, the area I am most concerned about is that we have to change the culture of government.
‘Unless we change the culture of government, we will not be able to make the savings we need and the Transforming Government Group within my office is working hard on that at the moment.’
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