Public service plays vital role

THEY say the public service is the engine room of any country and that is true.
If it stops functioning, whatever plans a Government has will never be achieved.
Regardless of what’s on the calendar, service to the public should be provided unhindered.
It should not matter who is in Government, public service should be resolute in its own stand and that is service should be delivered.
This time round, public servants, especially the departmental heads, were challenged to focus on implementing the delivery of goods and services in the supplementary budget.
They have to put the plug to the wastage and leakages in the system because of the limited funds they have.
The departmental heads, by now, should know what they want to achieve so it’s now about planning to achieve their target with the limited financial support and resources.
We need public servants to be smarter in managing the limited funds to deliver, especially in remote areas.
Public servants, over time, have always been challenged to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.
That means they should learn to listen, look around with an open mind on what the society/community goes through daily.
Only if one goes out and experiences the hardship then you will feel and understand the people’s cry for service.
Like they say, “you have to be in it to feel it”.
Another area that should be improved on is the punctuality and productivity of public servants.
Some ministers were straight up with what they expect of their departmental heads and that they did not tolerate laxity.
The message, most times, is simple and clear, shape up or ship out.
The PNG habit or style of getting things done should stop.
Starting work after 8am, frequent absenteeism, unnecessary breaks, bad habits and culture and abusing ones position for personal benefits should come to an end. 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.
While talking about the general trend of poor work ethics, we should not lose sight of the fact that there always remains a segment of the workforce that displays a good sense of work ethics.
They do not just believe in, but also, demonstrate their honesty, integrity and accountability at the workplace.
Hardworking and committed, these people contribute to the country’s progress to the best of their ability.
What we need is for a critical mass to be turned into an expanded labour force with strong work ethics.
One thing though, they also have their own challenges in performing their duties.
We like to believe that the public service had transformed over the past 45 years and it came with huge challenges.
It has departed from the traditions and practices of the public service that the executive government was practicing for many years.
The various plans launched, ideas clashed and clash in the manner in how service was to be delivered to the people.
The challenge is now on everyone, especially those entrusted to deliver, to learn from past experiences and continue to chart and develop a new part for service delivery.