Public service gets powers

THE Department of Personnel Management (DPM) has transferred full human resource powers and functions to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s (Arob) public service.
The transfer of full powers by the department to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) was done during a ceremony held in Buka last Wednesday.
Public Service Minister Joe Sungi and DPM secretary Taies Sansan officiated at the handing over ceremony.
Sungi acknowledge the key achievements resulting in the establishment of the Bougainville Public Service which included among others: the successful transfer of public service functions and powers to the ABG and enactment of the Bougainville Public Service Management and Administration Act (2014); development of ABG public service pay and salary grade structure; the overarching memorandum of understanding on the drawdown of powers and functions 2017; and, the implementation of the Sharp Agreement 2021 resulting in the full transfer of powers and functions to ABG.
Sansan said DPM would be available to share knowledge and experience with the Autonomous Bougainville Government’ public service.
She said the instrument of transfer of powers was signed off in 2012 when seven powers were transferred then.
They were: creation of offices, contract of employment, salaries and allowances, recruitment, in-country training, resignations and miscellaneous. The remaining powers which were handed over on Thursday were: issuance of file numbers, compliance of offline payments, retirement and retrenchment and overseas training and scholarship. Sansan highlighted the need for the Autonomous Bougainville Government public service to look at the creation of a similar institution such as the Public Service Commission.