PNG: Public servants told to stop being lazy
Updated
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has called on top public servants to be punctual and work like servants for the country's six million people. They've been accused of turning up late for work and taking long lunch breaks.
Presenter: Firmin Nanol
Speakers: Sir Michael Somare, PNG Prime Minister; Issac Lupari, PNG's Chief Government Secretary
NANOL: Papua New Guinea's public service is less effective and quite often public servants and some departmental ads display a no care attitude towards work.
Ordinary citizens often complain about being turned away from government officers, because there is no one to serve them.
Since independence, no governments have tackled the problems within the public service.
Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, recently told a meeting of senior aids of government department that they should take the lead. He warned them to walk like the name suggests as public servants serving the public and not serving close family, friends and business associates.
SOMARE: You are sent from your departments and agencies in such a position of power. You can use your position and authority wisely that will benefit or you can do disservice to the people of this country by having an attitude that does not allow communication between all parties at different levels of government to give the proper service that our people deserve.
NANOL: He says that to often they turn up late for work and meetings which leds to poor work performance and low productivity.
Sir Michael Somare was unhappy with several senior department aids who were late attending the meeting. He was forced to delay his arrival at the meeting because it started an hour late, because most of those attending failed to turn up or were late.
SOMARE: The display and quality of your leadership determine what the motivation of your officers. If you are slack, they too will be slack. If you do not care, they to will not care. It all starts with you. Punctuality to me is very important for all us. Because if you leave early or you don't come early, then this is a disease that spreads and the disease is for head of department didn't come, why should I go early.
NANOL: He has also told the public service to adopt a private sector like work ethic, and reward those who perform. He raised the concerns over a huge number of qualified Papua New Guineans turning offices for work because public service work is poor and unattractive. He called on the countries heads of public service institutions to offer solutions to stop the brain drain.
SOMARE: We are losing good public servants to the private sector, because rigid wage structures that do not allow us to recognise the real workers. I'm not happy from time to time, when I see that the wages are very low, who are only civil servants. The wage structure is something that need to be looked at and these advicement only come from you to us, so we can readjust if we are talking about preparing a budget, a budget for all and be able to take into account the needs of our civil service.
NANOL: PNG's chief government secretary, Isaac Lupari, has also echoed similar sentiments. He says the public servants should aim towards saving the people.
LUPARI: There's only one clear message to all of us, the government and heads of the public service. This implementation of government policies and programs. That's the message being given to us by the prime minister. The challenge is on us that we must be held accountable for our responsibility. We must be responsible for the delivery of services to our people in the rural area.
NANOL: PNG's public service says 2008 is its year of implementation to implement the government's 2008 budget of two and a half Billion US dollars and to serve the country.
