Barker supports decision on PSC

THE decision by the Supreme Court to revert to the old system of Public Service Commission (PSC) participation in the selection process of senior civil servants is sound and what is clearly required under the Constitution, but ensuring that PSC performs efficiently and accountably itself may require further oversight and review, an official says.
Institute of National Affairs (INA) executive director Paul Barker said the court decision which declared null, void and unconstitutional the switch of powers and functions of the PSC to the Ministerial Executive Appointment Committee (MEAC) to appoint heads of departments, statutory authorities and organisations and provincial administrators under the amended Public Service Management Act (PSMA) 2014.
“The 2014 amendment was widely criticised as placing undue control of the public service machinery in political hands, and undermining the merit-based public service selection process needed to encourage and develop a professional and non-politicised public service,” Barker said.
“Of course, one cannot entirely remove politics from the process, but the political role is to determine policies, laws and systems and provide oversight, both as the executive and the legislature, including through parliamentary committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee.
“Unduly interfering in the workings, including selection or dismissal process, as opposed to ensuring that the process is well designed and accountable, undermines a credible and merit-based public sector.
“At the end of the day, the shared objective must be to enable PNG to gain a professional and accountable public service that meets the needs of the citizens of this country, that follows and applies the policies of the Government and the subnational governments, but is not selected or working to serve personal political objectives, including during election periods, when public servants also widely have to perform electoral duties which need to be conducted independently of vested political interests.”