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NCDC Act amendments
self-serving: NRI expert
By BAEAU TAI
THE amendments to the NCDC Act have all the
makings of “patronage and self-interest”, Dr Ray Anere, senior research
fellow at the National Research Institute, said yesterday.
He said there was no way that the amendments would enable the city
government to effectively serve the interests of the national capital
district residents.
“The amendments would not optimise its administrative and political
arrangements for maximum service delivery unless serious effort was
given to act on the recommendations on improving the administrative
system of NCDC.”
This report was prepared by a committee chaired by Member for Moresby
South Dame Carol Kidu.
Dr Anere said not only that, NCDC must act on recommendations to improve
its own political system contained in a report by the NCDC task force.
Both reports were aimed at improving the
administrative and political system of agency to ensure good governance
for maximum service delivery to the residents.
“Both reports should be made available for public consultation on the
NCDC website.
“In this way, city residents, rate payers, planners, administrators, and
decision makers would be informed of how the administrative and
political system of NCDC could be improved, and, hopefully, give those
recommendations (the appropriate ones, at least), the necessary support
at all levels,” Dr Anere said.
“Democracies are stable and effective in terms of service delivery when
power is shared and decentralised,” he said.
Dr Ray Anere said the amended version of the NCDC Act failed to include
a very important provision in Section 7 that involves the “declaration
of personal interests”.
This is to ensure avoidance of conflicts of interest in the discharge of
public duties on the part of NCD board members and NCDC staff,
especially the management.
Section 7 of the NCDC Act deals with functions of the commission.
Dr Anere said the amended version failed to include a provision in this
section that involves the “eclaration of personal interests.”
“The ommission of a provision on declaration of personal interests
represents a serious defect in the amended Act.
“This is because the potential for patronage, which has in fact, plagued
the NCDC in the past, goes against the grain of democratic governance,
and ultimately, effective service delivery to NCD residents,” he said.
He also said democratic governance would be adversely affected because
of internal inconsistencies within the amended Act.
 
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