Downsize public service

Letters

THE Government needs to relook at reducing or rightsizing the Public Service to “Take Back PNG”.
To deliver economic growth and service delivery lies squarely in right government policies.
The public service machinery will convert these policies into government sanctioned programmes and projects to roll out in the 22 provinces and 89 districts.
Too many ghost names on the public service payroll system needs to be cleaned immediately.
Government assets lying around nationwide needs to be converted into billions of money as new revenues to support our budget deficit and fund key programmes and projects nationwide.
Too many lazy, bigheaded, corrupt, and fraudulent public servants combining and colluding to suck more money illegally from the State.
Too many unnecessary overseas trips and conferences and meetings costing the State millions of kina which needs to be saved for pumping into key government programmes and initiatives.
Government departments rent private sector owned buildings at cumbersome and staggering prices beyond market prices.
It needs to be reviewed at current economic times to save millions of money for State.
Merge and amalgamate or downsize all government departments and programmes and agencies so no duplication and overlaps continue so saving more money for the State.
Retire and repatriate with benefits all senior public servants that already retired and those that are ready for retirement.
Recruit qualified replacements and train them well to serve the nation with distinction.
Institute a nationwide State assets audit and come up with the total value of all of these assets and mortgage.
Sell some of them and go into PPP ventures with PNG based and owned businesses.
Use some of the proceeds to pump into Treasury to support the country’s Budget.
The Government should set up independent teams immediately downsize the public service which eats 60-70 per cent of all annual budgets and delivers poorly.
Take back PNG is about making tough decisions and standing by those decisions.
Also, making tough decisions mean putting in credible and solid people in State departments in secretary, CEO, and management positions who have track record or honesty and uprightness.
Flush out any and all corrupt people in the public service system.
On top of these, curse is upon any PNG public servant that steals from the public coffers as announced in August 2019 by Prime Minister Marape. There you go PNG!
Let’s make it happen for our children and theirs in this land of great promise, endless opportunity and exponential prosperity for all to come.

Samson Komati,
PNG Think Tank Group Inc