Public servants complete leadership programme

National

Twenty-five public servants from 12 provincial administrations and health authorities completed a Future Leaders’ Programme through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.
The first such programme was focused on the development of public servants’ professional skills, leadership capabilities, strategic thinking and policy development.
The first cohort began in March and the participants  travelled to Port Moresby three times for two-week blocks at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Public Administration (PNGIPA).
The Future Leaders’ Programme was delivered by PNGIPA, the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Business and Public Policy and the University of Queensland, with guidance from the Department of Personnel Management as part of the Papua New Guinea-Australia partnership.
Grace Garu, finance manager at the Southern Highlands health authority, said the programme motivated her to go beyond the core duties of her role.
“This course is about leadership. I was already a manager but I worked within my confined zones,” she said.
“The Future Leaders’ Programme has broadened my vision – being a leader means to lead others in making effective changes and to be a role model.
“I want to help them, mentor them, build them and that will help the organisation move forward.”
Kaiomen Ningin was promoted to the position of acting human resource manager at the Western administration as he started the  programme in March.
“Without this course, given the responsibility of acting HR manager, maybe I would be sitting there thinking, ‘How will I go about it?” Ningin said.
“I’m a manager, I’m a leader and this programme is making me think and take responsibility in that role.
“This course has made me become an agent for change. I feel confident. I have the capacity to make changes for my organisation.”
The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a partnership between the governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia to support the development of ethical and capable public sector leaders.