LLGs lack services, says Uyassi

 THE Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs has urged all provincial administrators to play an inclusive leadership role.

“Provincial administrators play an important part in service delivery,” department secretary Munare Uyassi said.

“They are the chief executive officers of provinces and are responsible for local level governments.”

He said every district and LLG had an opportunity to grow and that was why the minimum standards had been developed with the aim of changing districts that were providing basic services for the rural population. 

“Many LLGs are not functioning well and we need to recognise them,” Uyassi said. 

“Basic services are not delivered because we do not know the realities of the districts. 

“That is why the minimum standards were developed to basically outline what each LLG and district needed in terms of governance and infrastructure,” Uyassi added. 

He said minimum standards were the baseline unit to measure growth from a developing country to middle income-earning country, which could improve Papua New Guinea’s UN human development index rating. 

“The minimum standards are standards that districts and local governments must have in order to improve and effectively deliver services to people living in rural areas,” he said. 

“These standards are in line with the PNG Vision 2050 being ranked in the top 50 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index.”

Deputy Secretary Dickson Guina added that provincial administrators needed to create a culture of inclusive leadership, not leaders operating in kingdoms within the provincial administration, 

“Provincial administrators must work with their people in their districts and LLGs and be an agent of change,” he said.  

The 2013 provincial administrators’ annual conference was held in Port Moresby and was attended by administrators from around the country. 

The conference was also attended by partners and officers from the departments of provincial and local level government, treasury, personnel management, works, health, transport and national maritime safety authority.