DIMAPUR, MARCH 4 (MExN): With the new Chief Minister Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu known for being a stickler to punctuality, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) expects that a new era in Governance is set to be ushered in very soon with timings for the thousands of Government employees – at least, in the Secretariat about to be drastically changed. A CMO press statement on Saturday informed that the Chief Minister was not pleased with the discovery of the lax practices of the government employees at the Secretariat and the Directorates in Kohima.
The 81-year old CM is all geared up to stick to the mantras he dictated to the Heads and Administrative Heads of Department on February 23 last, the day after he was sworn in- Be punctual in office; set your office in order; and give the best of your services to the public.
According to the report, the CM had reached office sharp at 9:30am in the morning and had deputed his aides to do a round inspection of all the departments and collect attendance of the officers and staff alike- only to be disappointed with the reports brought in.
“Salaries are paid to Government employees and they are required to attend to their duties for a specific period of time on all working days. If traffic congestion is the reason employees cannot reach their office on time, they should leave home early for their places of work,” the CM is learnt to have commented, according to the CMO press statement.
In addition, the CM also gave a standing order that he will not entertain any appointments even for the Ministers and legislators at his private residential office except under unavoidable situations. “I have a fully functional office at the Secretariat, and so have they. They should attend their offices and if need be, meet me there at the Secretariat. And so should bureaucrats,” the new CM said.
Further, the CM has insisted that his movement through the city should not inconvenience any member of the public and had fixed his departure for the Secretariat from his official residence for 9am every morning, as and when he does not have other engagements.
“I am a public servant and I have no right to inconvenience the people I serve while moving through the city,” he emphatically told his OSD (Security) and insisted that his convoy wait out in the traffic jam as any other motorist caught in the morning rush.
According to the press statement, this is a rare gesture in a city where people often complain of the VIPs overtaking motorists caught in traffic congestions thereby causing worse traffic jams. When the head of the State is in such a mode, perhaps, others will take a cue for him, the CMO press statement has espoused hope.
