A SENIOR officer at the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) will fly into Simbu today to stabilise the public service in the province.
Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill said the officer was not the new administrator but somebody who was tasked to ensure that public servants carried out their normal duties in providing services.
He said there was already a division in the public service caused by the court battle between Joe Bal and Joe Kunda over the provincial administrator’s position.
Mr O’Neill said he met with Simbu Governor Fr John Garia and MP’s of Gumine, Kundiawa, Karamui, Nomane and Chuave who raised concerns that the infighting was causing instability in the province.
“We are concerned and as a result we have been asked to intervene and provide stability to the provinc,” he said adding he had directed a senior officer to travel there and meet with the public servants.
Mr O’Neill said the DPM had responded positively and agreed for an officer to take charge of public service.
“We are not appointing a new administrator,” Mr O’Neill said.
He said there was a rapid breakdown in the delivery of services and the senior officer’s task was to ensure public service functioning to deliver services and bring stability back into the public service in the province.