We are paid the by the people of the Independent State of PNG at the rate of K150 million per fortnight to serve them. We must collectively justify our existence to them.
This was the challenge issued by Deputy Prime Minister, Charles Abel, during the public service dedication service yesterday.
Promoting honesty and faithfulness in public service was the theme for the mass, which was hosted by the Department for Community Development, Youth and Religion at the Sir John Guise indoor complex.
Abel highlighted mostly challenges the public servants will have to put up with in regards to major events that the country will be hosting, like the 2018 APEC Leaders’ Summit.
He further stressed on the importance of public servants’ role in the country and how the people of Papua New Guinea depend on the work they do every day for services to reach the most remote ends of the country.
He dared all public servants of the country to become more cost conscious and more revenue focused despite the experience of short downfalls in the 2018 budget.
“It is an opportunity for reflection and adjustment,” Abel stated.
“We need to develop more of a commercial mindset in the public service.”
He said in spite of the challenges, the government struggles to keep up with the rapidly growing population to build a deeper and more resilient economy.
He adds that the government has commitments to the public servants, such as the pay awards and housing program.
“We need to deliver the budget to make these things happen. The new roads that have been put in have opened up many developments, including many houses for ordinary citizens.”
The national planning act encompasses all of these and overlays on a national service delivery framework with a prescribed minimum services at service delivery points and is then supported by a reporting framework.