Laos To Cut Civil Servant Employment To Ease Budgetary Tension

Source: BrinkWire

The Lao government will cut the annual quota of new civil servants from 3,000 people this year to 1,500 people next year to ease its budgetary burden, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith told the parliament on Tuesday.

“The government will focus on capacity building of the civil servants and their creativity so that they can deliver better and more effective professional performances. More central officials will be dispatched to rural areas according to the guidance of the Party,” said Thongloun.

The Lao government has also decided to suspend planned increase of the civil servant salary index as the country is facing budgetary hindrances.

The lao economy continues to be stable and grow but at a slower pace, Vice Premier and Minister of Finance Somdy Douangdy told the parliament. He attributed the slower economic growth to rising production costs, financial and monetary hindrances, and significant depreciation of Lao kip against hard currencies, and other domestic and external factors.