Western PA calls for bottom-up planning

Provincial Administrator for Western Robert Alphonse Kaiyun says the province's biggest challenge is leadership, and it must start at the ward level.

Addressing local level government [LLG] presidents during induction in Daru this week, Kaiyun said the province has a bad record of managing its affairs because of a weak relationship between political leaders and public servants at all levels.

“Not only in the political space, both in the public service and political space. We have a bad record of not managing the affairs of our province for a very long time,” he said.

PA Kaiyun stressed the need to respect the chain of command from ward councilors, LLG presidents, Members of Parliament, to the Governor as head of the province.

“Leadership must be together at the bottom. Have respect for the ward councilors, for presidents, for members of Parliament and the Governor,” he said.

Kaiyun cited an Organisational Capacity Assessment [OCA] conducted by the Australian Partnership Program, which confirmed that leadership and governance are among the critical challenges facing Western Province.

He said induction is important and public servants must understand their role as implementers.

“Leaders make decisions and public servants implement the decisions. When everyone does that we can work together,” the PA said.

He told members there are two types of public servants in the country, politicians and those in the public service from provincial administration down.

“Our roles are different but play parallel,” he said.

The provincial administrator challenged leaders to align planning with the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government. He said while the province and districts have plans, LLG and ward plans are yet to be developed.

“We need to map up and for us to touch the people of Western Province we need to zoom down. Resources from Waigani must cascade down to province, down to districts, LLGs and wards. That’s where the intent of the Organic Law is supported. Get the power down, get the service down and get the people in villages engaged,” aiyun said.

He requested for leaders to work on LLG and ward plans, and commended provincial affairs for the intervention to take services down to the people.

He said the framework for ward development becomes critical to ensure people are engaged.

The PA also thanked PEC members for raising with the governor that funds from the provincial level should be given directly to LLGs and not districts.