O’Neill: Avoid ‘cost blowout’

By JEFFREY ELAPA
MEMBERS and the public service must avoid a cost blowout and tighten management and accountability processes, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said yesterday.
His caution came after more than K300 million extra was paid out in wages last year, O’Neill revealed.
The prime minister called on all politicians and the public service to work together to make a difference in implementing the 2013 Budget.
O’Neill spoke during the national leaders’ summit attended by governors, ministers, heads of departments and provincial administrators at the Gateway hotel in Port Moresby yesterday.
“We must maintain the budget and keep to the budget.
“We must avoid cost blowout and tighten the management and accountability processes,” he warned.
O’Neill said that recruitment of staff should also be done within the structure and within budget as more than two or three people were on the same payrolls and costing the state millions of kina.
He said decisions by the public service to hire and fire people must be done within the laws as the state  incurred millions in litigation costs.
O’Neill said funds would be delivered on a timely basis starting this week and next week when the warrants were released.
He also said the government put a ban on travel a few weeks ago and a restriction on the use of vehicles and they must to be considered to stop wastage of money.
Government services must reach the people and must be according to the policies and plans, O’Neill said.
“(This) is a year of implementation. We must implement the budget and improve from where you are. There is no place for laziness and people who cannot perform,” he reiterated.
“We must work together with total focus at all levels of government and make a difference.
“Everyone is responsible for the failure of the past. Today we have the opportunity to make a difference and change from the past with the total increased allocations to the LLGs, districts and the provinces.”
O’Neill said leaders, the public service and the provincial administrators should lead by example as there was no time to waste.
“The challenge facing us is to lift the performance. We need total commitment from everyone. We need greater accountability to stamp out corruption.”
“We cannot afford non-performance and we cannot allow the budget to fail. We must empower and deliver basic services to the people. It is for you, your children and for your country.
“Make a sacrifice for today for our families and our people.”