Government to address issues of unattached officers on pay roll

Govt to address issue of Unattached officers on pay –roll 

The Minister for Public Service Honourable Westly Nukundi Nukundj has initiated the process of fixing the ongoing issue of Pay Roll over –run that has been a concern for past and present Governments. Last Friday (26 July 2019) the Minister demanded answers from the management team of the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) regarding positions and pay for all government departments and state services agencies.

He said the government’s biggest worry is that there are 6070 plus unattached officers on government pay roll and that amounts to 260 to 270 million kina every year.

“We want to find out where the cause is. What the Government aims to achieve is that one person gets paid for doing one job for one position(PPP). The Government is emphasising on the PPP concept, that is what we want to achieve”, said the Minister.

The Minister said it was not as if the Government is trying to cut down on the number of public servants however, it is seeking answers as to why we have unattached officers and in which particular departments and agencies. And if they are not participating in effective service delivery, why are we still keeping them on pay roll.

“I want the management team to furnish the following information before close of business of Monday the 29th of July 2019. A list of all unattached officers who are on government payroll in all departments, provincial governments and State Services Agencies,” said the Minister in a memo.

Minister Nukundj said all this information should be categorised into those that are over the age of 60 and due for retirement and those that have been suspended for over 3 months.

“There are also instances where two or more people are being employed under one position and that is another category. It should also be categorised into those who have been medically unfit for over 3 months and the number of positions approved against current numbers employed, “said the Minister.

Minister Nukundj also wanted to know the number of new recruits in government departments and agencies not on government payroll.

He said the Government was not necessarily trying to reduce cost but rather establish a number that is effectively performing its duties against a position that the government pays.


He asked DPM to furnish this information for all the different categories for each department and state services agency.

Parliament to ratify wreck removal convention

Parliament has to ratify the Nairobi Convention on wreck removal.

This would give the National Maritime Safety Authority more power to compel shipping organizations dispose off their wreckage parked around shores and rusting away.

These wreckage are maritime environment safety hazards for everyone.

The Wreck Removal Convention was adopted at an International Maritime Organisation Diplomatic Conference in Nairobi in 2007 and entered into force on 14 April 2015.

Executive Manager on Maritime Administration Captain Graham Proud said until that is done, shipping organization can make their tasks daunting.

“You just got to keep pushing it,” he said.

“We are working on legislations, it’s called the Nairobi convention and that enables us to ensure that the ship owners dispose off their wreckage properly.”

“We are going through that process now.”

So far their registrar through their environment division is developing a registry of the wrecked vessels, taking photographs and noting who the owners are.

“There’s 48 on the list so far,” he said.

NMSA ensures that before disposal, the ships are environmentally free in that there is no oil on board and then they tow them out to deep sea.

“They pay a bit of money,” he said and further clarified it was like running a car and if it stops working forever, anyone who owns it had the responsibility to move the car to a car wreckers place.

Captain Graham had been in the shipping business for 28 years before he arrived in PNG in 2000.

PNGDF soldier to study in the United States

Twenty-two year old Gareitz Rapola is the first Papua New Guinean to be a candidate in one of United States high ranking military service academies.

United States ambassador to PNG Catherine Ebert-Gray did the honour of presenting scholarship documents to Rapola at the National Museum in Port Moresby.

PNGDF Cadet (centre) Gareitz Rapola holding the baseball
cap and his scholarship certificates with US Ambassador
Catherin Ebert-Gray

He flies out of PNG a day later for a four year scholarship at the West Point service military-one of the oldest service militaries established by former US President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 and located along the Hudson River in New York.

“This is one of the first we’ve provided scholarship to in one of the service militaries,” Ambassador Ebert-Gray said.

In presenting the scholarship certificates she explained: “This certificate represents the future of our military relationship and the future of Papua New Guinea’s continuous development and excellence in security and in many other ways that our nation will be bonded for a generation or two to come.”

She also presented to Rapola his first baseball cap.

He is expected to graduate in 2023 with a Bachelors Degree after taking a curriculum that grades cadets' performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics.

A soft spoken Rapola told the media it meant so much-something he didn’t dream about.

His father Colonel Nelson Rapola is the commanding officer for the 2RPIR based in Wewak.

He flew in from Wewak together with his wife to witness their son’s official announcement of the military scholarship.

Young Rapola completed grade 12 at Jubilee Catholic Secondary School in 2016 and was selected to do a course in Information Technology at the Institute of Business Studies University but turned it down and he joined the PNGDF as a cadet.

Ambassador Ebert-Gray said it’s very competitive to get into West Point as thousands and thousands of applications come from within and outside of the United States and only 1300 are selected every year.

“It’s going to be quite a long a great experience for him in the United States,” she said.

PNGDF Chief of Staff Captain Philip Polewara was on hand on behalf of PNGDF Commander Gilbert Toropo who was on an official trip overseas.

US Ambassador Catherine Ebert-Gray making her comments
as PNGDF Chief of Staff Cpt. Philip Polewara look on

He commended Rapola and already giving him peep talks on how to succeed in his military scholarship as he did training in the US as well.

Rapola was selected based on his academic, civic, military, and athletic history and he was successful among 34 highly qualified and competitive PNGDF applicants.

Big data for Papua New Guinea

Andrew Alex (left) and Benjamin Sarim are not there posing for the camera for themselves. 

They are advertising agents for telco company Digital who during the weekend launched a promotion for big data where users can triple or double data for as little as K2 for two hours and have unlimited access to YouTube. 

Internet data affordability in PNG remains quite expensive in the Pacific and such rates are encouraging for consumers as digital access to data and information becomes popular. 

When we got their picture they were holding the promotion standing against a road sign at a round about in Port Moresby. 

They had four pairs of agents facing the four roads that converge at this round about near the Gordon police barracks.

Running constabulary as a business

BY MK VAMANAN NAIR

I understand that the recent article about running the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary as a “business” has generated many adverse and some positive comments.
 To the adverse comments generated I wish to humbly provide a clarification as my comments may be misunderstood.
 I must state clearly that I have never intended to or have charged the RPNGC any fees whatsoever at any time in my contribution to the constabulary. I am not in any way engaged or contracted by the RPNGC.
 Let me be clear that my assistance and input has solely been as a result of my love for police work and for the betterment of the RPNGC which I believe will benefit the people of this great nation.
 I also do not intend to provide any invoice in future or to charge a fee for my voluntary contribution to the constabulary. I
 have always considered all RPNGC officers as brother officers and RPNGC as a police family. Firstly, a policeman is always a policeman. At a very young age I was trained and grew with a premier law enforcement agency, the Singapore Police Force. It’s a zero tolerance organisation where everything is well structured and disciplined. Every officer is responsible and accountable for their actions. It’s about obtaining respect, confidence and trust in the Police Force with exemplary conduct and effective service delivery to the people and getting things done the first time right. There is also strict adherence to the practice and procedures to serve the people better, without fear or favour whilst being friendly but firm with their service delivery. Every citizen has paid for the professional services provided by the Police Force in various taxes and they are not required to pay any additional fee or charges for service they receive. It’s the duty of the Police Force to meet the expectations of the Government and serve the people who have every right to demand the service. This has made multicultural Singapore a safe place for its citizens, the international business community, tourists and every other person who intends to be in Singapore for one reason or the other. It is about a successful model for excellence in law enforcement service delivery. Running the police service as business is NOT about charging extra fees for service. I have not in anyway suggested that. It’s a public office and not a profit making entity. The profit in this instance is the best outcome the people of PNG receives from the Constabulary. This model is about making the entire constabulary accountable and responsible for their actions and to ensure the policing needs of the people are met. It’s about creating a model where all officers adhere to the law, policies, practices and orders to service the people better. It’s about managing their processes better so that their annual budgets can be better accounted and managed to be directed to essential services without careless expenditure. Mismanaged and misdirected funds can be channelled to more needful areas to improve service delivery more effectively. It’s about cost savings through proper people, process and cash flow management and making every officer responsible for their actions. Every cost saving, in the management of the resources in the constabulary means there are funds to better cater to the requirements of another area of police work. In essence, the whole Constabulary is judged by the conduct and behaviour of one individual officer. The Business Model will ensure that, just like any other business, the performance of the officers will be measured, monitored and the end results or outcomes are met. If expectations are not met, then officers can be managed and replaced for the benefit of the Constabulary. It’s about beginning with the end in mind so that we understand what the people want and to deliver effectively, within the law and with great efficiency as a service to the end user, the people. For instance, the 8th Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Honourable James Marape, has started from day one with the end in mind. He wants to make PNG a rich black Christian country. That is the end result, now we all have to work together to achieve that. All government businesses have to take ownership to deliver this dream. Efficiency starts with every individual understanding the work flow, people flow and cash flow of their individual work, departmental commitments and the goal of the entire constabulary. For example, if an officer is issued with a police vehicle, he or she will understand how to strictly handle it, maintain it, ensure it’s serviced on time, it’s kept working efficiently for the next user so that in case of an emergency the vehicle is ready to serve the people and to attend to their needs. If the vehicle is badly handled, not serviced and properly maintained, if it meets with an accident or has mechanical faults, then it cannot be used in an emergency to serve the people. It will also incur additional cost that has not been catered for in the budget. This means the money spent on this vehicle cannot be gainfully used to provide for another urgent requirement of the constabulary, therefore affecting service excellence. The model will in-still responsibility and accountability to manage resources better. Therefore once the individual officer understands what his/her contribution is in this efficiency model, that will eventually affect the whole organisation’s performance. This initiative will be a living value to provide a working requirement that officers take ownership of, whilst understanding the risks and rewards in their career with the Constabulary. In conclusion, the idea was to in-still discipline and to bring about a paradigm shift in the way the constabulary operates and how it deliver service to its people.

Praim Minista James Marape i makim ol gavman minista

Niupela Praim Minista James Marape i makim pinis ol gavman minista husait bai wok aninit long kebinet blong em.

Dispela i bin kamap long Fraide namba seven dei bilong mun Jun long Gavman Haus.

Igat 33-pela olgeta na em yet i holim wok olsem Praim Minista.

Namba tu praim minista na tu minista blong jastis na atoni general em member blong Esa'ala Davis Steven.

Praim Minista i tok em i gat bilip long olgeta 33-pela minista long wanem ol igat save na wok eksperiens.

Praim Minista James Marape is sekan wantaim Australia PM 

Na em i makim tu sampela minista husait ino bin votim em olsem praim minista.

Wanpela bilong ol em Kerenga Kua husait i memba bilong Sinasina Yongomugl long Simbu provins.

Narapela minista em James Marape i makim tu em Bryan Kramer husait i memba bilong Madang.

Praim Minista i givim ol pinis sampela bikpela toktok long ol minista i mas mekim gut wok.

Long sait bilong forestri, em i laik gavman i no ken givim moa niupela laisens long ol kampani bilong narapela kantri na kantri bai no nap salim moa ol diwai yumi katim ino autsait.

Dispela bai i mas stat long narapela yia tasol.

Praim minista i tok ol i mas mekim igo kamap olsem timba na plaiwut na salim igo autsait.

PNG government Cabinet sworn in

Prime Minister James Marape's Cabinet is being sworn at Government House Konedobu in Port Moresby.

The first MPs name among the list to enter the building and take oaths is Esa'ala MP Steven Davis.

Among new names are West New Britain Governor Susindran Muthuvel, Sinasina Yongomugl MP Kerenga Kua, Madang MP Bryan Kramer, Dr Lino Tom and Finchaffhern MP Renbo Paita.

The other is Maprik MP John Simon. 

There was a cheer from the people who were at Government House to witness the swearing in when Bryan Kramer's name was called.

Prime Minister James Marape leaves
 government house at Konedobu after ministers
 were sworn in

We should know full Cabinet line up in few hours.