Public Service Minister, Joe Sungi, has raised serious concerns on the engagement of consultants in the public service by departmental heads and heads of line agencies.
The Minister said consultants are doing the job for departmental heads when heads of agencies should be competent enough to perform their roles.
Minister Sungi outlined that consultants should only be brought in for a short period of time with a specific task that should be clearly stated in the provisions of their terms of reference.
“If you are appointed to perform the role then you must know the job to perform it. Why get an advisor to do the job for you? Because when the advisor is paid to do your job, it simply means you are being paid for doing nothing.”
The Public Service Minister said the engagement of consultants must involve and enable transfer of skills to substantive holders of positions.
Advisors should be mentors and should be at the Pacific Institute of Leadership.
Minister Sungi underlined that this was the message from Prime Minister James Marape.
The Public Service Minister made these remarks when addressing Department of Personnel Management staff at their recent first staff meeting for 2021, where he also welcomed the Vice Minister for Public Service, Salio Waipo.
(File picture of Public Service Minister, Joe Sungi)