Onus on public service to deliver

THE public service must “wake up from its comfort” and realign plans, systems and capacity to capture and underpin the direction of the PNG strategic vision, to achieve a better nation by 2050.
“The vision is a directional document and the public service must be realigned and refocused, as it is upon their shoulders that the vision of a better PNG can be realised,” Vision 2050 task force member Peter Peipul said.
Mr Peipul urged the public service, especially senior bureaucrats to use the vision to source a positive and durable attitude.
“Our public institutions and homes must be the cradles for harmonising that humanity that is in all of us,” he said
The 40-year vision, behind the theme “Papua New Guinea become a smart, wise, vibrant and happy country by 2050” was inaugurated last Wednesday.
Many showed support but there were many critics who said it did not capture certain important development aspects.
Among members of the public, a senior health official also blasted the vision for not accommodating the PNG healthy island concept.
Dr Thomas Vinit, adviser on lifestyle diseases, described the vision “vague” and that it did not include the healthy island concept. 
In response, Mr Peipul said the vision was a directional document and the implementation and realisation remained at the reins of Government agencies, including other stakeholders. 
“It is up to Government agencies to get their acts together and realise the vision, because while we welcome critics from the public service, we must understand that the challenge lies with the service to make the vision a reality,” he said.
“All vital development aspects in health and education amongst others are in the plan, I kindly advise critics, especially within the Government, to obtain a copy and carefully peruse it and understand ,” he said.
“The onus in now on respective agencies to build up their capacity and implement the vision and implement budgeted funding.
“There is a difference between operations and direction,” Mr Peipul said.
“The plan and the budget are directions, the implementation and operations is the mandate of the public service.
“The question to ask now is, are we ready?”
He said the Government had created a plan and had provided K3.4 billion development budget, and the public service must take action.
Mr Peipul also reiterated that the first decade of the vision was crucial.