Lupari irked by officials’ attitude problem

THREE departmental heads work under one roof in a Waigani building but hardly talk to each other, Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari says. 

That, he said, epitomised the lack of communication within the public service.

Lupari did not mention names but they are understood to be secretaries of Treasury, Finance and National Planning who are all housed at Vulupindi Haus.

“Some of the department heads don’t talk to each other,” he said. “Even if they are operating under one roof, all they do is they send emails and write letters, when the guy is on the next floor. Same building, three departments, and they write letters to each other.

“This shouldn’t be the case, for goodness sake. You are just on the next floor, not far away. Call him up and say, bro I’ll come and see you, or sister I’ll come and see you.

“Have a cup of coffee, sit down and say I’ve got this issue so let’s find a way forward.

“You fix that problem in about two minutes. When you send letters, you wait for months, when the guy is just a floor above you or below you. This is ludicrous. “Come on.

“What kind of public service culture are we creating here? Are we proud of the way we are conducting business in the public service?”