Public servants challenged

PUNCTUALITY and productivity of public servants came under the microscope from at least three government ministers this week.
They told staff in their respective departments in no uncertain terms that they must exercise discipline and avoid laxity.
The messages are simple and clear: Shape up or ship out.
The “PNG habit” – as Finance Minister James Marape aptly puts it – of getting things done slowly and in their own time must stop.
Arriving to work after 8am, frequent absenteeism, taking unauthorised breaks to smoke or chew buai, unfavourable habits which affect their workmates, and abuse of office and authority must end.
The official working hours in the public service is from 8am to 4pm. National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru, Inter-government Relations Minister Kevin Isifu and Marape want a lift in performance, a change in attitude and work culture.
Maru reminded public servants that they must be at work by 8am and do not leave before 4pm.
Marape reminded the 150,000 public servants that they occupy a privileged position.
Out of the eight million people, the 150,000 civil servants make up only about 2 per cent of the population but chew up 40 per cent of the nation’s budget in their remuneration alone.
Isifu warned against workers wasting too much time on social media or chewing betel nut.
In short, public servants need to lift their performance and work honestly to earn their pay.
Maru leads the department which plans, coordinates and drives the facilitation of appropriate national and international development initiatives to promote equity and sustainable development in the country.
Marape’s department is responsible for the protection of public funds. Isifu’s department looks after all provincial and local level governments, and the district development authorities.
How the public servants perform their tasks must be in accordance with their respective department work ethics. Work ethics refer to a basic set of moral values associated with the way work is done whatever its nature or status.
Honesty, responsibility, discipline and diligence are values we inculcate in children from an early stage linking these up with performance in school and early childhood tasks.
We ask our children to perform in school to the best of their ability.
In adult life, these values should translate into hard work, efficiency, discipline and integrity at the workplace.
On the general trend of poor work ethics, we must not lose sight of the fact that not everyone is lazy, lacks discipline, under-performs or a bad team worker.
There are those who strive hard at work, follow the rules and do what is required of them.
They display honesty and integrity in carrying out their duties.
Hardworking and committed, these people contribute to the country’s progress to the best of their ability.
Everyone else should take their cue from them and try to emulate that work behaviour.
An effective and efficient performance of the public service will drive the government agenda to achieve its goals and policies.
At the end of the day, the successful implementation of those goals and policies will result in the effective delivery of services to the people.
The civil servants are paid to drive that. If they fail, the government collapses and the people suffer.