By Rositta Liosi – EMTV Online
The government of PNG together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) organised an international expert’s mission to forge discussions on potential partnerships in the area of public service delivery.
Dr. Nigel Goh (Singapore) and Mr. Ryan Orange (New Zealand) representatives of UNDP’s Global Centre for Public service Excellence, met with the PNG Institute of National Affairs, Coffey International, the New Zealand and Australian High Commissions, Parliamentary Speakers Office, Secretary for Personnel Management, as well as senior civil servants and civil society representatives.
There is a wealth of examples that civil service reforms have ended in failure, because they did not take into account the national context. Thus, the visitors stressed that reforms are most effective when they are created in the local context and that there is no ‘one size fits all solutions’.
What was seen as the main challenge to public service implementation, which was highlighted by participants, was a lack of integration in solving complex problems; and that work and operations should be done in a more unified manner.
This is linked with the ability to manage national standards of service through decentralised systems, whilst empowering civil servants at the same time, in carrying out policy and providing services effectively for the needs of citizens.
Roy Trivedy, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative, said “The visit by Nigel Goh and Ryan Orange helped us to better understand the insights generated through the work of the Global Centre and how we can tap into their expertise to improve public services in Papua New Guinea.”
