Bureaucratic complacency

DESPITE significant changes the country has been experiencing under the O’Neill Government, bureaucratic complacency remains one of the biggest obstacles to development.
It therefore needs to be addressed as a matter of national emergency.
This obstacle needs immediate attention and correction in order to accelerate coordination and implementation of Government policy by public sector, statutory and regulatory authorities, and State-owned enterprises.
Politicians including the prime minister cannot come down and execute Government policies.
It is the responsibility of the bureaucrats heading respective agencies to coordinate and manage implementation of Government policy.
Most State agencies are operating like trade stores or tucker shops, with little or zero creativity in adding value to development value chain as enshrined and anticipated in the Government’s national objectives.
Most SOEs are under performing, even as monopolies with very high overhead costs.
Regulatory authorities and departments continue to maintain very high administration and management costs with poor efficiency in terms of coordination with provincial offices and service delivery.
You do not have to look far to understand this.
Most of the administration and management cost is concentrated in Port Moresby while provincial offices are defunct.
Government agencies must have very effective national network and coverage to be effective in administering and managing their affairs.
Papua New Guinea is not Port Moresby, but the way Government bureaucracy is operating continues to give the country the impression that Port Moresby is PNG.
It is time for a review of all Government agencies and for a cost benefit analysis done against their national objectives. Stand down agency heads who have been complacent, lack intelligence and creativity, and appear to be grossly incompetent.
The Government deserves to be supported by smart, intelligent and competent heads of State agencies.
This is to deliver Government policies and achieve objectives competently.

Samson Wena
Kerowagi, Chimbu