Back

(11).  Governance and Transparency

In Section 4.4.2., (Reforming the Administration and the Civil Service),. the NPRS says that “The focus is on providing quality public services when and where they are needed, strengthening regulatory functions and building capacity through pay and employment reform among other instruments.”

The NPRS also observes that “Simply to maintain the size of the Civil Service at current levels will require major reallocation of resources towards Education and Health and from major centres to rural areas.” “The challenges are particularly difficult when it comes to raising salaries to levels that would both motivate and meet cost of living. Current simulations show that to increase the minimum wage in the Civil Service to levels in the garment industry, for instance, Cambodia’s GDP would need to increase considerably if the increase was to be financed through government revenues alone….”

Nevertheless, “Senior management in ministries, provinces and districts, professional staff working on priority missions, teachers and medical staff outside major centres will receive adequate salary. And, incentives will be in place to favour remote areas and difficult jobs. Yet, the Royal Government intends to do all that is possible and sustainable to accelerate pay and employment reform.”

Under a Supreme Council of State Reform, chaired by the Prime Minister, the Council for Administrative Reform (CAR) guides the government’s reform efforts. The Strategy to Rationalize the Civil Service covers such issues as the size composition, and deployment of the workforce, and the remuneration of civil servants. Administrative Reform has scored several important successes in the last two years, including:

• Over 9,000 irregular civil servants were removed form the payroll;
• Starting in 2002, average remuneration increased by 44 percent;
• Special allowances are in place for teachers, medical staff, and senior officials down to district governors. Those working outside major centers are especially targeted…

It is interesting to note that “the current scope and pace of salary reform depends on sound fiscal management and assumes economic growth of 6%.” A slower arte of growth, perhaps as a result of external shocks, could derail remuneration targets, at least in the short term. 

In the Annex 3 Matrix, (Section 4.2), the NPRS outlines several important actions to be taken (though does not establish a clear time frame): 

• Completing a Civil Service Legal Framework and Code of Ethics;
• Developing a Service Delivery Policy including user fees;
• Develop policy and program for deconcentration;
• Articulate a Remuneration Policy and Program;
• Further develop and implement the incentive regime (e.g., targeted performance allowances);
• Finalizing a Capacity Building Strategy for the Civil Service.

The NPRS address Anti-corruption in Section 4.4.4. The NPRS observes that “corruption is a threat not only to democratic institutions and fundamental rights and freedoms, but that it also undermines socio-economic development and deepens the poverty of millions the world over. It provokes irrational decision-making, disrupts the development of the private sector and undermines the environment for sustainable development. The issue is not whether corruption should be fought but rather how and with what means.”

The Governance Action Plan (GAP) has been “designed as a sweeping instrument to correct causes of corrupt practices as identified in the survey and other studies,” but “fighting corruption within the Civil Service is only part of the answer. External partners such as the private sector and civil society must also discipline themselves. It takes two to engage in corrupt practices, a corrupter and a corrupt.”

“A lot of progress has been made; yet, expectations are high. Very important headway has been made in sectors such as in forestry, fisheries and land management, in education and in health. Pay and employment regimes are being adapted to needs. Remuneration is being increased as quickly as possible within available means but by itself it will never be sufficient. These are enabling pre-conditions focusing on opportunities.”

In the Annex 3 Matrix (4.4.), the NPRS lists some of the additional actions that the RCG plans to undertake include:

• Updating the Governance Action Plan;
• Completing the Legal Framework, including the Anti-Corruption Legislation (2003), and Codes of Ethics;
• Establishing an Ombudsman Office;
• Strengthening budget and expenditure processes;
• Strengthening public procurement processes;
• Strengthening checks and balance institution such as the National Audit Authority;
• Strengthening mechanisms to sanction wrongdoers
• Participating in international forums for combating corruption.

NGO Action:

The NGO CG Statement referred to the need “to provide a decent living wage to civil servants by introducing a realistic government salary system linked with an impartial performance-based scale.” NGOs also “encourage efforts to pass anti-corruption legislation while also using existing anti-corruption provisions to fight the persisting culture of impunity.”

• Monitor the development of the Civil Service Legal framework, including the Anti-Corruption Legislation (2003) and Code of Ethics
• Monitor the development of a Service Delivery Policy, including user fees;
• Monitor the development of a policy and program for deconcentration;
• Monitor the development of a Remuneration Policy and Program;
• Monitor the development of the so-called Incentive Regime;
• Monitor the development of a Capacity Building Strategy for the Civil Service;
• Monitor the timely payment of salaries, especially for teachers and health workers.

Note: The NPRS does not provide specific targets or target dates for many of Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption activities. NGOs should press for clarification of targets and dates in the context of the APRI.

Back