Public servants feeling ‘useless’

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

SENIOR public servants working in Southern Highlands say they feel “useless” when not included in decision-making at the district level.

They raised this concern at a recent workshop conducted by the Department of Implementation and Rural Development for senior public servants in Southern Highlands on new administrative guidelines and financial instructions for the district services improvement programme (DSIP).

Nipa hospital chief executive Dr Peter Wi said that from the K10 million DSIP funds, health sector was supposed to received 20%, education 20%, infrastructure 30% and 10% each for law and justice, socio-economic and administration.

“Even though the 20% health component is given in the DSIP, I, as chief executive officer, was not invited by the joint district planning and budget priority committee to their meeting to seek my views on how the money will be used,” he said.

“I am feeling useless when not invited to involve in making decision for the health issues in the district.”

Lenard Yano, the district education officer for Erave, said that more than 300 teachers were in the remote areas but their needs and the needs of the schools were not adequately addressed at the district level.

Yano said that due to non representation of an education officer on the JDP&BPC, their needs were overlooked.

“An educationist must be on the board to provide good advice as to how well the district will use 20% of the education component of the DSIP to lift the standard of education in the district,” he said.