Minister condemns ongoing tussles among senior officers in department

MINISTER for Community Development Loujaya Toni yesterday strongly condemned the ongoing tussles among senior officers of government departments over positions, offices and property.
Relating a media report of infighting by senior officers in the Department for Community Development, Toni slammed the behaviour the officers, saying such actions should not be tolerated as it hindered progress in the work of the department.
Toni has called on Minister for Public Service Sir Puka Temu to step in and address the matter as soon as possible.
Toni made the general remarks in Parliament yesterday and mentioned the disagreement by public servants on the position of Secretary for Community Development.
She said other departments could be facing the same problem and she called for support from all MPs.
She said such behaviour by public servants was likely to create instability and cause underdeveloped strategies “as public servants work in line with ministers to implement the government’s action plans and initiatives”. 
“Some public servants still hold onto offices when their term is over and this is not right,” she said.  
Toni congratulated Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and all MPs for contributing to the creation of the action plan, which she said was clear, constructive and vital for major developments in the country.
She reminded the MPs that “playing politics” should not be the game to realise the action plan.
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