Dept heads plan to empower livelihood of people at district level

DEPARTMENTAL heads from the social and law and order sectors agreed to work together to empower and improve the livelihoods of people at the district level, through the District Community Development Centre (DCDC) programme.
The programme initiated by the Department for Community Development and Religion is the core business centre of the recently endorsed Policy for Integrated Community Development (PICD).
Department secretary Anna Solomon at the third Social and Law and Order Sector Departmental Heads (Slosh) meeting on Thursday in Port Moresby said that government agencies had been working in isolation for too long at the district level.
“People at the district level need to feel the presence of the government and the DCDC programme is the vehicle to channel those services down the district levels,” she said.
“I am glad that the sector has recognised the centre that will house all of us.
“It is not just the Department of Community Development and Religion.”
Solomon said the DCDC building would have 50 office spaces, however 10 spaces would be given to non-government organisations while the other 40 spaces would be occupied by respective officers from respective departments of the social and law and order sector.
Slosh chairman and Justice and Attorney-General secretary Dr Eric Kwa advised the sectorial heads that instead of building their own facility, they would use the DCDC facility to align their respective programmes and services at the district or community levels.
The secretaries of the respective departments in the sector were happy to work together as a team under the established District Community Development Centre flagship programme to deliver government services at the community level.