Restructuring of the Executive Yuan and its 16 ministries and commissions have effectively achieved a reduction in the number of government personnel, with authorized complement falling by 9,386 and budgeted complement by 165, said Premier Sean Chen at today's Cabinet meeting. With the topic of government restructuring coming into the spotlight recently, he asked the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration and the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) to communicate the progress in a clear and timely manner.
Premier Chen said the public may focus on a specific agency that has grown, such as the Executive Yuan headquarters, which increased its headcount after absorbing some personnel from the Ministry the Interior, the Consumer Protection Committee and the Government Information Office. However, it is essential to note that the total number of authorized and budgeted positions for all agencies has declined.
Premier Chen reiterated the importance of restructuring government in accordance with the organizational bills passed by the Executive Yuan, and that any move by agencies to persuade legislators to adopt different versions of the bills would not be tolerated. He asked the RDEC to keep tabs on the situation and ordered severe punishment for inappropriate action.
The original restructuring plan was designed with a certain logic, but if the environment has changed or if there is a better plan, the matter should be referred to the Executive Yuan Restructuring Task Force led by Vice Premier Jiang Yi-huah. Balanced discussion and cooperation will prevent disorder. He emphasized that the Executive Yuan is a team and hoped all discussions can be conducted through formal channels.