Government will review the Civil Service and make it more "merit-based" and "maximise" its output.

In Friday's Throne Speech the Government pledged an end of "entitlement culture" and a move towards a "needs-driven culture of accountability is being proposed that will bring enhanced oversight and greater compliance in the area of public service delivery."

Governor Sir Richard Gozney, who read out the speech, said Government would be "promoting a merit-based Civil Service, with the emphasis on service."

"The Civil Service employs thousands of Bermudians who administer critical programmes, implement Government policy and keep the machinery of government running," he said. "In the decade since the Review of the Civil Service, the Government has grown and the social responsibility assumed through policies like Future Care and free Child care has, by definition, affected the role of the public service.

"Therefore, the Government will update the 1999 review of the Civil Service aimed at maximising the potential and output of the public sector."

The Royal Gazette asked Premier Paula Cox to expand on what changes could be coming to the civil service but she did not respond by press time.

It is not the first time politicians have said changes need to made within the Civil Service. During his last week as leader of the Country Ewart Brown insinuated he knew changes were needed.

At his media roundtable he said: "When I asked the head of the Civil Service if he would retire early. I knew what I was doing."

And in July this year the Public Accounts Committee released a report stating there was a "culture of casual regard for parliamentary-approved budget parameters" throughout the civil service.

Yesterday, Chairman of the PAC Bob Richards said he believed the proposed changes Premier Cox has made were "missing the point".

"What we discovered in the PAC was that civil servants were not abiding by the financial rules already in place," he said. "We had civil servants kowtowing to Ministers and Minsters micromanaging departments and disregarding rules that are in place to protect the public purse."

He added: "The new Procurement Office [which will handle Government contracts and project management on capital works and allow Ms Cox to "tighten control on spending"] has been taken under the new Premier, and I think this was done based on the well founded position that she is an honest person and will make sure capital projects are done properly.

"This is a case of not getting it. The Civil Service is supposed to work irrespective of who the Minster is."

He said senior civil servants should be saying no to Ministers who want something done outside the bounds of the financial rules of Government with or without the Procurement Office.

Dueane Dill, of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance, also said Ministerial interference has been a problem within Government and the Civil Service.

"Government works most effectively when the Civil Service and the Government Ministers work together to effect Government Policy," he said after the Throne Speech. "What we have seen over time is a creeping of Ministerial interference into the operations of the Civil Service.

"It is simply unreasonable to blame the Civil Service for Ministerial failings. It may be that the Premier has recognised this and is looking to ensure that this does not continue."

But he added the Civil Service had "become bloated" over time.

"We have already proposed that there be a complete freeze on hiring of new civil servants and a freeze on the hiring of consultants with this must come greater efficiency," he said. "We will look forward to the outcome of a Civil Service review but urge this to be done quickly so as to not waste time."

The Royal Gazette asked the former head of the Civil Service what he thought of the proposals, he did not respond by press time. Nor did the Bermuda Public Service Union which represents civil servants.