Govt agencies told to write simple, workable policies

By HELEN TARAWA
PRIME Minister James Marape is calling on Government agencies and departments writing policies not to reinvent the wheel.
In his address to the staff of the National Resarch Institute (NRI) and National Economic and Fiscal Commission (NEFC) yesterday, he urged policymakers and writers to keep it simple and workable.
“There are enough policies to go to the moon and back. If they are compatible, then we will take the greatest recommendations,” he said.
Marape said the Government would not divert the roles of NRI and NEFC.
“If there is any time our Government needs NRI and NEFC to step up, it is today and I ask you to step up and pick up some of our conversations, I look through some of the writings,” he said.
“You can model them and advise us what is achievable and together we can find the right path in which our country can grow into from 2019 to 2020 and beyond.”
Marape said the 2020s should not be another lost decade, it should be the right decade in which PNG sets sail in the right direction to make PNG the “richest black Christian nation”.
“Our human development indicators are very low, our corruption statistics are amongst the (highest) and economic index is the lowest,” he said.
“We have to get out of this and black is our past, rich is our destination and Christianity is the strategy through which we can get there.
“I looked into NRI’s eight programmes and they are important and are the contemporary programme that should have evidence on to support the Government in progressing our way forward.
“Please get that data to us to help us place our country in the right projection going forward.
“We want to live in a better PNG and we can never get there if we don’t work together.”
Marape said NRI and NEFC’s role would be maintained.
“You are not lost in the jungle of Waigani. We will never challenge your voice, even if it’s harsh. It is better to listen to harsh criticism than praise that is faulty all the time.”