Steven is best state agency head

By PETER ESILA
WHEN he was named the best performing Government agency head for 2021, Steven Enomb Kilanda knew that his mission is on the right track.
His mission, as the executive director of the National Cultural Commission, is to turn the State agency into a best-performing and efficient outfit, executing to the maximum its mandate to preserve the country’s diverse cultures and traditions.
“Culture will open doors and bring visitors and people who will then introduce other services after seeing how we are living here”he said.
“When all our oil, gas and gold run out, our culture is the biggest standalone tourism product in this country.
“We have to preserve, develop and promote this unique culture so that other people, visitors and tourists can come to see our unique culture.”
Steven was born on July 17, 1982 at Apal village in Enga. He is married with four daughters.
He completed grade 1-6 at the Wabag Primary School from 1989 to 1994, grade 9-10 at Wabag Secondary, and grade 11 and 12 at Kopen Secondary.
He graduated from the University of PNG with a Bachelor of Business Economics in 2005 and a Bachelor of Arts in 2006.
After UPNG, where he briefly worked in 2005, he joined the Bank South Pacific in 2006 as a graduate management trainee.
He became a customer relationship officer in 2007, then a lending officer in 2008.
Steven left to work for the Department of Commerce and Industry from 2009 to 2012 as a co-operative development officer, then senior trade officer.
In 2013, he joined the National Museum and Art Gallery as manager cooperative planning and marketing, then project manager for the international convention center, then acting deputy director in the corporate services division.
He took over as the commission’s acting executive director in 2019.
He was confirmed in the position in 2020.
Last month, Steven was recognised by the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) as the best performing head of a government agency for last year.

“ One day, I hope to become a very influential person within the public service. I have a desire to see the public service machinery managed effectively as well as efficiently.”

When he became acting executive director in 2019, Steven’s goal was to make the NCC the best performing State agency by fulfilling its mandated duties.
On Jan 21, DPM secretary Taies Sansan presented Steven with a Certificate of Achievement.
This is after assessing his performance using an online performance management system which the department uses to monitor and assess the performance of heads of government agencies during their contract of employment.
The commission also looks after other cultural institutions including the National Film Institute, the National Performing Arts Troupe and the Institute of PNG Studies.
Sansan commended Steven for being the first head of a government agency to use the online performance assessment, and be recognised by her department as the best performing head of a government agency.
“This session is about realising the achievements of agency heads so we can see where the public sector is going, and where the country is going as we modernise the public service.”
Humble Steven deflected all the accolade to his hardworking staff and management.
“I am thankful for the recognition. We may be a small unit in the public service but it is a matter for doing the right thing.”
He also attributed the success to being very strict on discipline in the workplace, especially on attendance and punctuality.
When employees, including himself, are late to work or are absent, “I advise the human resource division to dock salaries’’.
‘‘Even mine too”.
He knows the task is not completed as there is more to be done to turn the civil service into a well-oiled machine.
“One day, I hope to become a very influential person in the public service. I have a desire to see the public service machinery managed effectively as well as efficiently.”