Public servants must perform

 THE country’s public servants will get a 7,5 per cent pay increase annually for the next three years – starting next year. 

This is welcome news for the many hardworking, diligent and professional employees of the state. 

Additionally, the agreement signed between the De­partment of Personnel Management and the Public Employees Association will cover not only salaries and allowances but other benefits on redundancy and retrenchments. 

The agreement includes a “threshold clause” to protect the real value of earnings from excessive inflation during the period. 

This means the 7.5% increase will be adjusted if and when necessary to counteract inflation in the form of rising cost of goods and services. 

Another plus is that women and men are given some consideration when it comes to maternity and paternity leave as the agreement clarifies the application of leave for these reasons. 

DPM secretary John Kali said the state was committed to consult the unions on the future development of a home ownership scheme and the introduction of a life insurance and medical benefits scheme. 

It is good to see that unions and the state are forging mutually beneficial relationships. 

Kali said that the pay rise and other benefits would be based on the performance levels of the public servants. 

“The salary structure is performance-based and provides for annual increments related to improving and above-average performance,” Kali said. 

The crucial point is that this should not be seen as some kind of belated Christmas gift but rather a raise in pay levels consistent with the realities of a growing economy and the expectations brought about by that change. 

But these government workers must lift their performance and give the state/government a reason to be pleased, after all the increase will mean a greater portion of the annual national budget is dedicated to recurrent expenditure. 

The country’s public service has come in for criticism from all and sundry over the years for its failure to effectively do its job. 

Moreover, public servants have earned a reputation for poor performance, slowness in carrying out directives, incompetence, a lack of dedication and commitment, unprofessionalism and corrupt practices. 

It is important to stress that the majority of public servants are not corrupt but many are prone to behaviour that gives the perception of slackness and indifference toward their jobs. 

 In Papua New Guinea there have been and are many instances of workers receiving a salary for doing half the job half the time and sometimes not doing the job at all. The state must devise a system where errant workers can be kept in check and made to improve or be removed. 

If there is a body in place to police the public service then it must do its job across the board in every province and every district. 

If there is now specific body then surely the responsibility rests with the respective department heads and management. 

The economic model that seems to be in use here is that of being paid day’s pay for half a day’s work. That is a system that can only end in ruin or at the very least stagnation. 

Incremental increases in salaries are standard practice as economics dictate that the cost of living will rise rather than fall so the employer is obligated to provide reasonable remuneration packages for its workers. If this does not happen then workers tend to search out better opportunities elsewhere.  But productivity (performing) must be a prerequisite for getting paid otherwise any department, section or body will soon lose its impetus and become a liability to the state.