Recruitment position has shown improvement in recent months and the prospect of a successful outcome to our request is considered to be good. A request has also been forwarded to the Finance Branch for upgrading the post of Accounting Officer I in the Headquarters Accounting Services Division to that of Senior Accounting Officer in view of the increasing responsibility and workload demanded of the post.
2.11
Despite the problems referred to above, the Department's accounting officers have been required to exercise increasingly rigid control over the approved provisions contained in the 1976-77 estimates, particularly in view of the implementation of the Appropriations-in-Aid System and the submission of regular reviews of expenditure to the Finance Branch.
Expenditure
2.12
Departmental expenditure for the year ending 31st March, 1977, including that incurred on behalf of the Services, amounted to $1,805,165,171 compared with last year's expenditure of $1,784,433,535, showing an increase of $20,731,636 or 1.16%. This expenditure represents 27.3% of total Government gross expenditure for the 1976-77 financial year and maintains the Public Works Department in its position as the largest spending department in Government.
2.13
As may be seen from the comparative analysis of expenditure at Appendix F, there has been a slight reduction in expenditure for Public Works Non-Recurrent Heads.
Heads 61 to 66: Public Works Department
Personal emoluments
2.14
Although there was a decrease in the approved establishment of the Department from 15,857 in the previous year to 15,629, the resultant expenditure of $315,712,981, or 17.49% of total departmental expenditure, exceeded the approved estimate of $294,990,000 by $20,722,981 and showed an increase of $38,580,040, or 13.92%, over the previous year's expenditure. This increase was mainly attributable to the 13% pay rise awarded to the Civil Service with effect from 1st April, 1976.
2.15 Total expenditure on overtime allowances increased from $12,066,564 to $15,209,999, mainly due to increases in hourly rates as a result of the pay rise coupled with additional provisions approved for the Department.
Other Charges
2.16
Departmental expenditure under 'Other Charges Recurrent' for 1976-77 amounted to $9,794,168, representing an increase of $1,286,031, or 15.12%, against the 1975-76 financial year. The increase was mainly due to additional funds approved in 1976-77 following the economic recovery.
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