Permanent Secretary for Public Service, Ishmael Avui, says the freeze was effective last Tuesday, the day Cabinet endorsed the decision.

Mr Avui attributes the cabinet decision to the economic crisis that has affected many countries around the world.

He says the Solomon Islands Government is beginning to feel the pinch of the global financial crises with commodity prices falling as demand declines.

He says the action was necessary to ensure the public service continues to maintain and sustain its level of service delivery to its people.

The Public Service Permanent Secretary urges responsible officers to manage and carefully utilize resources available to them, and adopt efficient and effective management strategies to achieve government priority policies.

It is not yet certain how long the freeze will be in effect, but one thing is for sure, there will be a rise in unemployment within the formal sector as graduates return.

The Public Service is the single largest employer in the Solomon Islands, employing at least 80% of those in the formal sector.