PM calls for better work ethics

THE public service consumes about 70 per cent of the money available to the Government but matching productivity is very low, Prime Minister James Marape says.
“Those of us in the public sector in various capacities and ranks, whether me as the prime minister, ministers, governors, MPs, departmental heads, secretaries, junior officers or whoever, we don’t have the luxury of time thinking that we are okay,” he said.
“The gap is getting wider between those who do not have it and those who are privileged to be employed in the public sector.”
Marape said from 1975 (Independence) up to today, 70 per cent of funds generated in revenue from the country’s economy were consumed by the public service wage bill and public service upkeep.
“And that’s only three per cent of the total population,” he said.
“I don’t mind us consuming these huge amount of money from revenue we generate.
“But matching productivity is expected of us and we must produce.
“If we are in the private sector, every one of us will have been sacked long ago because our productivity in regards to capital consumption generated is quite below average.”
Marape said he visited the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) last week and their compliance rate was at nine per cent.
“That means 91 per cent of those who are participating in the economy are not subscribing to some form of tax.”
Marape challenged all public servants from the highest to the lowest ranks to perform their jobs honestly with commitment and dedication to drive forward the country.
“No one else will come and do the job for us,” he said.
“We have to do it ourselves and that’s the message we are sending across to all the departments and state agencies that we have visited and all other state agencies that we will visit in the coming weeks.”