Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) has called for the summary dismissal of public officers who continue to receive salaries despite failing to report for work.
And it described the practice as a billion-dollar abuse of taxpayers’ money and evidence of deep-rooted corruption within the public service.
Responding to the Auditor General’s report on the implementation of the Solomon Islands Government Attendance Management Policy, the anti-corruption watchdog said the findings exposed a public service plagued by absenteeism, poor leadership and weak accountability.
The audit report revealed the equivalent of more than $1 billion in public funds had been wasted on officers who were paid despite not turning up for work.
“It is obvious that these concerned public officers are abusing the authority and entrusted power bestowed upon them by the people and taxpayers of Solomon Islands,” TSI said in a statement.
“Using their position of power to help themselves to an equivalent waste of $1 billion of public resources without any work done,” it added.
The organisation said what was once a strict “No Work, No Pay” policy had effectively become a “No Work, Full Pay” culture, with absenteeism going largely unpunished.
“The Public Service Commission and Secretary to Cabinet, whose responsibility it is to manage and administer the Public Service through the Permanent Secretaries, are letting officers practising absenteeism get away with $1 billion for no work done,” TSI said.
The watchdog said the Auditor General’s findings pointed to systemic failures rather than isolated cases of poor employee discipline.
It argued that weak attendance management, inadequate oversight and poor enforcement had created an environment where absenteeism could flourish unchecked, undermining service delivery across key sectors, including health, education, infrastructure, agriculture and policing.
“This can only indicate serious weaknesses in the management and oversight of attendance across parts of the public service, raising broader concerns about governance, accountability and the effective use of public resources,” TSI said.
The organisation said citizens depended on public servants to deliver essential services and warned that poor attendance eroded confidence in government institutions.
The Auditor General’s report found that the Government’s Attendance Management Policy, approved by Cabinet in 2015, had not been effectively implemented, with ministries lacking basic attendance recording systems, monitoring mechanisms and compliance frameworks.
TSI said the failure of Permanent Secretaries, who are the authorised officers responsible for managing ministries, had contributed directly to the waste of public funds.
The watchdog questioned whether senior public servants should now face disciplinary action.
“One billion dollars is a huge waste of funds,” TSI said.
“Should Permanent Secretaries be disciplined, changed or be required to understand what the Machinery of Government is and how it works?
“These are important governance questions that deserve careful consideration as part of broader public service reform.”
TSI urged the GREAT Coalition Government and the Public Service Commission to treat the Auditor General’s findings as an opportunity to restore accountability across the public service.
It called for the full implementation of the 2015 Attendance Management Policy, including the introduction of modern attendance management systems and stronger accountability for ministry leaders.
The organisation also rejected suggestions that rising living costs, transport expenses or workplace conditions could justify absenteeism.
“There are many graduates that are unemployed that could take up your job,” TSI said.
“Not turning up to work and being paid for doing no work is completely unacceptable.”
TSI reminded public servants they were custodians of the machinery of government and had a responsibility to ensure institutions functioned effectively and citizens received the services they depended on.
“Government is more than leaders,” the organisation said.
“It is a system of institutions working together to serve the public for the common good, uphold democracy and ensure justice.”
