Sungi: Bring back kiap system

AN MP has suggested that the kiap system used during the colonial days be reintroduced to ensure a better delivery of services to rural areas.
Nuku MP Joe Sungi, pictured, said MPs were caught between “service delivery and our primary role as legislators”.
Sungi, a former West Sepik provincial administrator, said MPs needed to strategise to ensure that a system similar to the kiap system should be used.
“The kiap system was delivering on its own even before Independence,” he said.
“I think we need to look at that.  Although the district development authority is now in place.
“I still think that in terms of how the budget is delivered, there’s a lot more that we need to do for us to free ourselves and make sure that we concentrate on legislature.
“(This is) rather than becoming project managers or service deliverers.”
Sungi said there was no point in MPs contantly checking the finance minister and national planning minister for the release of their district and provincial funds.
“I think there are a lot of improvements that we need to make as a country, as a government, to concentrate on our roles and responsibilities rather than trying to get into the service delivery system when we have our public servants,” he said.
According to Wikipedia, kiaps, known formally as district officers and patrol officers, were travelling representatives of the British and Australian governments with wide ranging authority, in pre-independence Papua New Guinea. Kiap, for example, is a district administrator, commissioned policeman, magistrate and gaoler.