in-cyprus 5 September 2019 - Edited by Annie Charalambous
Seventy four people have entered the island’s public service under a completely different employment regime than the one they are now under, according to daily Phileleftheros.
Specifically, these natural persons had signed contracts with the state for purchased or leased services. But after 30 months of providing these services, their regime was converted into one of employment for an indefinite time.
Reports over the years indicated that ministries and government departments were exercising the practice of renewing a specific expired contract with the same person. This led to a formal employment relationship between the contractor and the state.
In fact, the Treasury had sent out circulars back in 2015 and 2017 warning state authorities that this practice is not right but it seems that it fell on deaf ears. Because most of the 74 such cases took place after the circulars were sent out.
Specifically, four persons came under the indefinite employment regime within 2019, another 11 last year, and a further13 persons in 2017. In 2016, 45 people – most of whom provided services to the Missing Persons Committee (CMP) – became permanent state employees.
In 2015, no contract employee was turned into one employed for an indefinite period, while in 2014 one person came under the permanent status regime. These are the departments and services that have turned contractors into state employees for an indefinite time:
—The Presidency has changed the regime of 40 contract employees (36 of whom working for the CMP) into that of indefinite employment regime
—Nine people who were providing services at the Ministry of Health are now under the indefinite employment regime. Nine contract employees at the Ministry of Agriculture are now also under that regime.
—Three such cases are reported at the Finance Ministry and another three at the Ministry of Energy.
—Two such cases are reported at the Interior Ministry, one at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and another one at the Ministry of Education.
—Five such cases are reported at the Legal Services and one at the refugee review authority.
