Minister may lose post over disability payments

TALLINN 'sEstonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip has said that the social affairs ministermay face dismissal if she is not able to successfully cope with some of theproblems that have emerged in her domain.

Ansip did not rule out the possibility of dismissing SocialAffairs Minister Maret Maripuu over the issue of delayed disability payments.

Maripuu had been accused by local press of lying aboutpossible problems with the new IT solution for the benefit payment system.

The head of the government admitted that things need fixing at the SocialAffairs Ministry and the problems that have cropped up indicate poorgovernance. In his words, any delayed benefit payment is a bad thing and bothpoliticians and civil servants must take responsibility for this.

But Ansip also defended Maripuu, saying that in his judgmentthe minister has not lied about the disability payments.

"They are referring to a draft law that was sent round for endorsementin October and November 2007, regarding which the Social Affairs Ministry's ITchief said the necessary IT solution apparently will not be ready in time. But,my friends, this was nearly a year before the new system of disability benefitswas introduced," Ansip told journalists.

In addition to the IT chief's commentary, the document bears a note by theministry's secretary general who also endorsed the draft law.

"Looking at this year-old remark by the IT head that things perhapswon't get ready on time, it's really difficult to claim the minister lied. Oneneeds to have a very good imagination for this," the premier said.