Govt services should reach people

THE public service has come under fire on its performance decline in the past 25 years.
There are about 300,000 public servants in the country.
Public service is the engine room of any country and if it stops functioning, whatever plans any government has will never be achieved.
It does not matter who is in government, the main thing is that the public service should be resolute in its own stand and that is service should be delivered.
Isaac Lupari, the acting secretary in the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council told the governors’ conference last week that the Government is spending K4.3billion on public service, and services are not reaching our people, then there is something wrong.
The public service wages and salaries accounted for about 35 percent of the annual budget of the public service.
Lupari called on the 22 governors to look at the political and bureaucratic system together when discussing the decentralisation of powers.
We concur with Lupari that a public service reform was necessary to achieve social and economic service delivery.
And what is why the performance and conduct of public servants in and outside the office. is important
Public servants over time have always been challenged to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.
That means they should learn to listen, look around with an open mind to what the society and community goes through every day.
Only if one goes out and experiences the hardship then you will feel and understand the people’s cry for service.
Like they say, you have to be in it to feel it.
Lupari said the implementation of policies, programmes and the law are entrusted on the public service has not materialised.
Most policies are designed and developed in Waigani without fully understanding the challenges and needs of 80 per cent of our people who live in the rural settings of our country.
And when the plans and policies fail, millions of kina is wasted. The various plans launched, ideas clashed and clash in the manner in how service was to be delivered to the people.
What we need is for a critical mass to be turned into an expanded labour force with strong work ethics.
One thing though, they also have their own challenges in performing their duties.
We like to believe that the public service had transformed over the past 44 years and it came with huge challenges.
It has departed from the traditions and practices of the public service that the executive government had been practising for many years.
The challenge is now on everyone, especially those entrusted to deliver, to not make the same mistake, learn from past experiences and continue to chart and develop a new part for service delivery.
Hardworking and committed, these people contribute to the country’s progress to the best of their ability.
Those entrusted to lead should learn to listen, look around, and open their eyes and minds to what the community goes through every day.
The Government wants to know what has been neglected in terms of the programmes that were have not under-taken.
A government is accountable for the decisions and laws affecting its citizens; an individual has accountability for acts and behaviours.
The basic message is that public servants have a duty to serve the people and they should work honestly to earn their pay.