Opposition MPs have accused Government of breaking a pre-election pledge to cut out "pockets of sloppiness'' within the civil service.

The blast comes after it was revealed two new senior civil servant posts are to be created at a cost of more than $200,000 a year to the taxpayer -- posts that the former Government did not deem necessary.

The Ministries of Transport and Environment are to be headed by two permanent secretaries who will act as right-hand men to the Ministers and oversee the general running of the departments. Each secretary will pick up a $113,812 annual salary.

But Opposition leader Pamela Gordon has condemned the appointments, arguing that they do not fit in with Jennifer Smith's personal pledge to make Government operate more efficiently.

And she has also questioned why the posts have been created before a planned review of the Island's civil service is carried out: "This seems to be an exercise in futility,'' Ms Gordon said.

"If they are serious about a review and cutting back on waste and looking at efficiency it would make more sense to wait until the review.

"They are filling vacant posts that the review might deem as unnecessary.

"They may argue back that every ministry needs a permanent secretary. But if that's the case why are they not trying to get one for the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Recreation or the Ministry for Cultural Affairs? "The Ministry of Transport is very diverse ministry but you could have directors meeting once a week to discuss transport issues or, alternatively you could put in a Permanent Secretary who would meet with all the directors.

"A permanent secretary may make the process easier for the Minister but, from an efficiency standpoint, if the department's well run and each director knows their role it's not crucial. We managed without one, although I think we were leaning towards looking at it.

"The Government is saying that all we did was wrong and they would like to sort out what they feel to be pockets of sloppiness. Well how can you be dealing with that when you are adding to the infrastructure -- it doesn't make sense.

"To fill the posts now is premature and not in keeping with the commitment made by the new Government.'' Shadow Environment Minister Gary Pitman also condemned the move.

"This does seem to fly in the face of the Premier's comments about doing things more efficiently and cost effectively,'' he said.

"I can only think that the Ministers have looked at it and decided that they need permanent secretaries and their cabinet colleagues have agreed with them.'' The PLP, in it's election winning manifesto, promised to "introduce new standards of revenue management and root out waste and inefficiency''.

Opposition pans new positions And following her party's historic victory in the polls last November, Premier Jennifer Smith, in an advert in The Royal Gazette , said: "One of my first tasks as Premier will be to appoint a scissorman. He or she will identify and cut out crippling rigidity -- or pockets of sloppiness -- within our systems''.

The appointments are not the first jobs created by the new administration that have attracted criticism.

Immediately after seizing power Premier Smith created the new post of Chief of Staff which was filled by unsuccessful PLP candidate Lt. Col. David Burch.

And the Premier came under fire again after she sacked the longstanding official Premier's chauffeur.

Cabinet Secretary Leo Mills refused to explain why the posts have been created.

"The post of permanent secretary for the Transport Ministry has not been filled for some years and it's intended to re-activate that position,'' he said. "The Environment Ministry position will also be filled. It has been determined that there's a need for both posts.'' Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown was remaining equally tight-lipped about the posts "I don't have anything to say that's constructive -- it's something that we have decided to do and we're doing it,'' was the only comment he would make.

But Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson argued that his department has always had a permanent secretary.

"In this Ministry we have had someone acting in this position -- there was someone here when I came in,'' he said.

Pamela Gordon