By Wezi Tjaronda WINDHOEK Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairperson Eddie Amkongo says some functions of the public service should be left to an oversight body especially where political or personal bias can influence decision-making. Amkongo was speaking on Monday at the Public Service Commission Strategic Planning and Consultative Workshop that ended yesterday. He said although some functions of the public service can be delegated to government offices, ministries, agencies and regional councils, there are some functions which should be left in the hands of an impartial oversight body especially where decision-making can be influenced by political or personal bias. One of the pillars of democracy, according to Amkongo, is that the public service should be kept out of politics. “Governments can come and go but the public service should be a stabilising force, which will serve the government of the day. A public service commission in many countries thus plays a crucial role in stabilising and keeping peace during transitions of change of government,” he added. Swapo chief whip and the country’s first prime minister Hage Geingob said as an advisory body to the political leadership, the PSC diluted the apolitical nature of the civil service. However, just after independence, the civil service had to be responsive to the new political leadership and was not focused on serving one part of the community. While that time the challenge was to ensure that the service does not favour the white community only, the challenge now is for the PSC not to favour one ethnic group, a thing that will be overcome through education and empowerment. Once this challenge is met, Geingob said, the Namibian civil service would be apolitical just like the public services of India, the United Kingdom and Singapore. “Once this happens, the PSC will be ready to take on a new role,” he added. In his presentation on the Functionality of the Public Service Commission as envisaged in the Constitution and Public Service Act vis-ÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚ -vis today’s reality, Geingob also mentioned that all senior public servants should be given performance management contracts upon employment. Geingob said senior government officials including Members of Parliament should be given performance contracts to be reviewed after a number of years. This, said the MP, would improve the efficiency of workers in the public service, failure of which they should be removed. “If MPs have overstayed their welcome they are removed, what about you,” he said, adding that “we must all have performance contracts”. He suggested that even accounting officers of ministries should have their titles changed from permanent secretary (PS) to, for instance, chief executive officer. He said the name alone suggested that the PS could not be creative anymore and were meant to work in the government service for the rest of their lives, yet there is life outside the government. “I am a living example of this,” he added.