Pollies urged to make correct choices

By ELLEN TIAMU
POLITICIANS have been called on to make correct choices when appointing top bureaucratic leaders.
A villager from the Bulolo area said the government and especially cabinet, should select candidates with a good character and a clean background into important high offices.
Richard Lalai said political leaders selecting people such as departmental heads, provincial administrators or statutory heads should not let family or political affiliations cloud their judgement but make appointments according to merit and integrity.
Lalai said unlike in the past, PNG had a larger and more educated pool of candidates to choose from. But it seems the same people are being recycled in the top echelons of public service because of their political affiliations.
He said the government came in vowing to fight corruption and it should stick to that principle and not allow its judgement to waver so it can remain in power.
“Morobe seems to currently have two provincial administrators running the province as is rife in the public service throughout the country.
“Much-needed public funds was being used to pay public servants, two of whom have been appointed to the same position,” he said.
He said this was happening because a government or a head taking office and appointed an officer into a provincial programme adviser position.
Then another head is appointed and appoints another and both officers remain on the same perks and privileges.
“Noone seems to care that public money is being misused and that public service regulations are abused and the real losers are the small people.”