The public service is not bloated and engages as many employees as needed to function efficiently, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Thursday.
He was replying to a question from Times of Malta asking about concerns from stakeholders that the public service is overmanned, as business continues to struggle to fill vacant positions.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting held at the ongoing public service expo, Abela said the idea that the public service is overmanned is “a narrative peddled by the Opposition” and that what the public service has managed to create is a testament to the fact that this idea is untrue.
“The public service is acting as a model for the private sector. Until some time ago, the public sector used to lag behind the private sector. Today, I believe it has truly become a model for the private sector in its work practices, giving flexibility to workers while giving excellent service, and in the reform it has carried out in past years where it increased efficiency,” he said.
“So, I ask those who peddle this narrative when we employ more teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers and architects - are not those essential workers to keep the country progressing?” he continued.
“So I do not agree with those who believe that the public service is burdened with excess workers, the public service has the employees that it needs to keep meeting standards in education, health and other diverse needs the country has.”
Asked whether the health sector, in particular, is experiencing pressure due to a lack of skilled workers, Abela said that a lack of manpower is a pressing issue across various sectors and is “a symptom of the country’s success”.
“The country has an economy that marvels you, especially in the way it has shot off after the pandemic, with diverse expanding sectors, but also in the way it has managed to create jobs.
"There are a lot of sectors in which we would like to expand our operations and keep investing but the human resources are limited. So that is why we need more training for our students and reskilling is a challenge. We cannot ignore this and we will keep working on it.”
Speaking during the portion of the cabinet meeting that was open to the press, the Prime Minister said the public service should strive to be a catalyst for change as this is the path through which the country can advance.
Artificial intelligence, he said, is going to be at the centre of some of the biggest changes that the public service must adopt to continue upgrading its systems and processes. However, this must never come at the expense of maintaining good standards of service and remaining close to the people.