'Government workers capable of doing a good job, cheaper'

Labour leader Alfred Sant said yesterday that the outsourcing of government projects to the private sector was increasing.

He insisted that government workers were able to give a good service at a lower cost.

Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the General Workers' Union, Dr Sant said the public service needed to offer value for the money invested in it from people's taxes.

GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said many of the proposals in the Labour Party's draft document on the public service were in line with what the union believed.

There was the need to fight the impression that government employees did not fulfil their duties, Mr Zarb said.

On the contrary, these workers were productive as long as they were given the necessary tools and training.

He said work that can be performed by public service employees should not be assigned to the private sector.