Thursday 29^th September 2022

The Department of Personnel Management (DPM) in collaboration with the Department of Information, Communication & Technology hosted a joint Digital Human Resource Transformation Forum at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby on Monday the 26^th of September to disseminate information on critical ICT Policy Reforms to the HRM and ICT fraternity in the National Public Service.

The key objective of this initiative was to inform all Human Resource Management and ICT Units in the public service of the Digital HRM Transformation Roadmap the DICT, which is in collaboration with DPM.

Minister for Public Service Hon. Joe Sungi, MP, who spoke at the opening of the forum expressed the need for all Government Human Resources Business processes to be digitalized to be on par in today’s modern era.

“We have to prioritize human resources as there has been a lack of information and unreliable data on manpower that needs to be improved over public servants’ performances,” he said.

Minister Sungi said little attention had been paid to the Human Resource Divisions which needs to be revived to ensure they keep track of all public servants’ level of competence and commitment in the office.

“The Human Resource Divisions need to do away with paperwork because this is the time to use the digitalized and online systems so that we can create publication forms, conduct online recruitment, and track performances and recommend reward or punishment accordingly. Information Technology’s intervention can improve the public service, modernize the public service systems, introduce automation and digitalize HR business processes to generate rich information for good decision-making”, said Minister Sungi.

He further added that this is a development project for DPM in the information technology space which is in line with the forum’s theme Driving digital HR transformation through strategic leadership.

The Digital HR Transformation Forum is to advocate for the digitalization of the Public Service General Orders and automation of all associated HRM business processes.

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Senior Legal Officer, Ms. Fiona Yandi from the Public Services Commission was among forty-four (44) other women from both the private and public sectors who graduated with certificates in Leadership & Management from the Business Coalition for Women Leadership.

Ms. Yandi’s participation was made possible with financial assistance from the Australian Government through the Australian Awards which have also supported 28 other female Public Servants.

The graduation saw the combination of Cohorts 15, 16, & 17 celebrate the achievement of 45 emerging female leaders who completed the Business Coalition for Women (BCFW) 6 months certificate course that aims to meet specific PNG industry needs and is designed to develop leadership and managerial skills of women in the workforce who have the potential to take up supervisory or managerial posts.

When initially taking up the course Ms. Yandi said given the fact that we are a Melanesian society people tend to think women lack the capabilities to take up managerial positions in organizations but if only we could break that barrier, we will see a lot more women moving up to top positions.

Ms. Yandi is now equipped with good managerial and leadership skills and looks forward to implementing the skills and knowledge gained from this course in her line of duty.

Since its inception in 2015, over 300 women from 70 organizations representing a diversity of industries have graduated from the Coalition’s Certificate IV in Leadership.

‘’The Coalition is the go-to resource for gender equality and our solutions, which are tailor-made for PNG’s corporate sector, and helps businesses understand the value that their female staff brings to the company. The Certificate IV Leadership & Management Course helps businesses develop and reap the benefits of having gender diversity in their leadership in team’’ explained Evonne Kennedy who is the BCFW Executive.

The Public Services Commission continues to support the up-skilling of its officers to help them to perform their duties more effectively and efficiently and also allows officers to grow into managerial roles in the Commission offering equal opportunities for both men and women.

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Date: 6/09/2022

Public Service Minister Hon. Joe Sungi vowed to continue what he started in his previous tenure as Minister, and that is to enhance the image of the public service machinery in Papua New Guinea.

Speaking during his welcome back ceremony as the Minister for Public Service in the 11th Parliament he urged all Departmental Heads, Provincial and District Administrators to perform to their best as mandated servants of the people.

Minister Sungi urged departmental heads to address issues such as public servants’ attendance, punctuality, and work ethics by scrutinizing their staff through their Performance Appraisals that are completed twice yearly, and more importantly, spend time with their officers.

He strongly emphasized the need for Public Servants to be on the ground to serve wherever they are paid to be stationed.

“You are not here to serve Waigani but the 96 Districts, 6,000 wards, and 3,000 LLGs; you are the servant of the people’’.

The Minster stressed that Departmental heads must now be held accountable for the decisions they make that put unnecessary burden and stress on the taxpayers.

‘’ Any Departmental Head that is found to be incompetent and does not properly manage the discipline process of Public Servants, and if the Public Services Commission finds that there were errors in that decision, the Departmental Head will pay for the damages from his/her own pocket and not pass on to the taxpayers of this country to pay,” said Minister Sungi.

 Minister Sungi said there are a lot of issues that are still outstanding and will be discussed and worked on in consultation with the heads of the Department of Personnel Management (DPM), Public Service Commission (PSC), and the Pacific Institute of Leadership and Governance (PILAG) as concerned agencies in Public Service.

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