Protect integrity: Sungi

By MAJELEEN YANEI
PUBLIC Service Minister Joe Sungi says keeping confidential matters within the government system is a challenge for the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Department of Personnel Management (DPM).
He said information about the appointments of certain departmental heads was being leaked to the public on social media platforms such as Whatsapp before final decisions were made and formal announcements.
Speaking during the launch of the PSC’s corporate plan 2024-2028 on Friday, Sungi urged all stakeholders to observe professional courtesy and confidence and ensure such sensitive information was not disseminated without authorisation or clearance.
He said the PSC’s integrity and standing could not be compromised by such acts.
“We expect all public servants to be of sober habits and must maintain high ethics and level of conduct,” Sungi said.
“We must ask ourselves, are we serving our people from 7:45am to 4:06pm Monday to Friday before getting paid for the seven hours 21 minutes every day?
“The non-performing staff will be terminated using the performance appraisal and all must undergo one-year induction at the Somare Institute of Leadership and Governance in order to serve in public service.”
Sungi added that most of the departmental heads after being terminated were then reinstated by the court and they were working on an amendment to protect the PSC from interference in administrative matters.
“The administrative sector positions must also be reduced from all levels and increase front line service like teachers, health workers and disciplinary forces.”
PSC chairman Apeo Sione said the commission experienced continuous budgetary cuts by the Treasury Department since 2019, continuous delay in warrant release has affected PSC’s routine operations.
“We hope to improve the commission’s operational performance in the next five-year plan with the establishment of regional offices to ensure its service can be easily accessed in other regional centres in the country,” Sione said.
European Union ambassador Jacques Fradin said the public service played a vital role in good governance and public sector management structure and it was important that it is supported so it can fulfill its functions, adding the union stands ready to support where it can.
PSC secretary Terence Tupi also called on the Treasury Department to allocate the necessary funding for the implementation of its corporate plan.