Nevis Island Administration moves to put brakes on public spending
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Chief Financial Secretary, Mr. Laurie Lawrence
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Charlestown, Nevis - The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) wasted no time in setting about its pledge to reduce the island’s debt and control public spending for 2009. In a press statement issued on Tuesday January 6, 2009, Chief Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Laurie Lawrence stated that the NIA was seeking to lead by example and has invested in technology through the use of a Cash and Call Accounting system.
“We have to improve productivity, work smarter and do more with less waste. As the largest institution in Nevis we must demonstrate our commitment to facing the fiscal challenges which lie ahead by way of example and this is a clear indication that the NIA is prepared to do that.
“It is clear now more than ever before that we must spend the tax payer’s dollar wisely and tighten the public purse strings,” he said.
Mr. Lawrence further emphasized that the objective was not only to control spending but through analysis of the data improve service to the NIA’s partners and stakeholders. ~~Adz:Right~~
“The NIA is seeking to control its telecommunication expenditure, thereby improving customer service and productivity. We have the opportunity to review the data and based on those findings overhaul procedures where necessary.
“It might become necessary for example to make information more readily available to those handling enquiries thus reducing the need to return so many calls. Or to ensure that call handlers gather all the appropriate information from the caller, so as to answer their query in a single call instead of two or three,” Mr. Lawrence said.
The system was supplied by The Information Technology (IT) Facility through LIME (Cable and Wireless), to provide the NIA with details of all incoming and outgoing calls processed by the institution’s phone system.
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