Juffa: Review yet to be done

SPECIAL Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform chairman Gary Juffa says that there has been no major review done to the public service structure since 1975.
“We (MPs) are trying to deliver goods and services to the people but we are not doing it right,” the Northern Governor said.
“It is the work of a vibrant public service machinery to effectively deliver goods and services.”
He said the old system of provincial governments having premiers and regional MPs and local level governments did fairly well until the 1995 reform which had done more damage than good.
Juffa, who initiated the public service reform after he was elected into office in 2012, said the reform would start with his Oro government.
“We will start carrying out the reforms in my own province and roll it out to the rest,” he said.
“I am also very confident of the team of senior governors who will contribute their experiences to achieving a major reform for our failing public service machinery.”
Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas, who once worked as a clerk for Wabag MP Sir Tei Abal, said PNG had not been doing well since Independence.
“We thought we were okay after the independence but we are not,” he said.
“We have to own up and correct our own mistakes.
“We have to make sure appointments are done on merit.
“There should be a demarcation between open MPs and governors on their roles and responsibilities.
“Politicians are simply not walking in their own lanes where open members are even doing the councillor’s jobs.”
Sir Peter said with due respect to open MPs, they should be vying for ministries in the government and not doing the job of councillors.
Councillors are now left without jobs because MPs are doing their jobs. “There has to be a clear demarcation between the levels of governments between members of parliament and public servants.”