Public Service

The two nations have collaboratively undertaken the PNG Institutional Partnerships Program, marking a new chapter in their cooperative efforts.

Under the aegis of this program, Australia has actively supported over 40 dedicated PNG public servants in their pursuit of professional development. These individuals underwent specialized training at the esteemed Australian Public Service Academy, participating in the transformative course titled 'Building and Developing High Performance Teams'.

He said the government must sustain and build on the work that the Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform has started to achieve these reforms.

Prime Minister Marape said, “Our delivery systems must be effective and efficient. Our public services must perform to its fullest potential, and this is where we want to focus our attention.”

The PM said they would ensure that the appointments of heads of agencies are merit based. Public servants are responsible for delivering public goods and services.

Last year, Speaker of Parliament Job Pomat approved the institution’s new organizational and management structure.

Clerk of Parliament, Kala Aufa said the new contracts ensure a performance-based approach with Key Result Areas (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are used to measure desired organizational outcomes for the Service, as a ‘modern, engaging, and efficient Parliament’ in the region.

The Prime Minister addressed members of the public service and members of Parliament in a meeting this morning at the APEC Haus when these announcements were made.

“…This morning I wanted to lay down the rule and made with absolute clarity that politicians have their space and public servants have their space,” he said. “When politics has been played out, public servants must not get engaged in politics but must carry on work.”

Prime Minister said historically, almost a whole year is lost in the lead up to elections with preparations and even after the elections are over.

This will assist public servants with the necessary skills and qualifications needed before they are appointed to executive positions in the public service.

Minister Sungi said this policy will instil a new culture in the public service and help weed out corruption in the system.

He said to support this, the Ministry of Public Service has produced a 30-year Human Resource Development Strategic Plan (2020-2050) to support the PNG Vision 2050 plan in delivering policies to guide the operations of the public service into the future.

Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel says it is about investing in the right areas of the public service such as teachers, nurses and police.

“We want to support those and we want to trim down central agencies of government to make us more efficient,” he states.

“Those people who are in the public service need to have contracts and conditions, time management and NID cards, so that they turn up to work as a real human being and they get paid, they are clocking in and they are earning their pay and they are producing results,” says Abel.

Juffa said Public Service is a very important portfolio and urged Kapavore to table the findings of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Service.

“I believe it is a holistic approach to improving the welfare of public servants and introducing corporate values, including performance based contracts for all public servants.”

He said Kapavore needs support from all the leaders to drive the public service machinery forward.

Meanwhile, Juffa said public servants must be honest in their job and help deliver to the people in a transparent manner.

Speaking to the MP’s during Day Two of the National Parliament Induction Programme, Lupari said the country is currently faced by many problems covering many facets which include social and economical.

He said it was imperative now more than ever that all MPs were n cooperation to address those problems.

Lupari also highlighted the need for more connectivity between the Government and the public service.

He said he has witnessed a gradual decline in interaction which has resulted in lack of service delivery.

“The public service is now based on the skills, experience and education that individuals possess,” O’Neill said on Monday.

He was speaking at the 2017 Pacific Public Service Commissioners Conference (PPSCC) launching in Port Moresby.

The three-day conference starts today. 

“In Papua New Guinea, we are going into quite a change taking place not only in our infrastructure development and growth of our economy but the reforms we are making in the public sector structure,” O’Neill said.