A government oversight committee will begin operating on Friday, according to announcement from the presidential palace.

Speaking about this committee, the Undersecretary to the President Irene Piki, who will head up the body, said on Wednesday that there will be no budgetary burden from the secondment of twelve officials from public and semi-governmental organisations to the secretariat for monitoring the implementation of the government’s programme.

She said its creation was part of the government’s plan and is similar to practices carried out in other countries.

She said under her wing the secretariat will not judge or control ministers but monitor and coordinate the implementation of the government’s programme and reforms.

According to the announcement on Friday, the committee will operate under Piki within the framework of global monitoring and coordination in the implementation of policies, the promotion of reforms and the implementation of projects, based on strategic planning and in cooperation with all relevant ministries and deputy ministries.

“The establishment of the committee follows the good practices of many other European countries, whose respective mechanisms have contributed to the optimization of procedures and timely implementation of their government policies,” the announcement said.

The committee will be made up of 12 civil servants seconded from other areas of the civil service and wider public sector.

According to the announcement, the staff for the committee were chosen based on internal hiring, following an announcement that was put out.