Department of Defence Staff inducted into the Public Service

More than thirty (30) staff members of the Department of Defence have undergone a one-week Public Service Induction (PSI) Training at the Pacific Institute of Leadership and Governance (PILAG), Waigani Main Campus. The one-week basic training is mandatory for all public servants, as it gives them a broader understanding of the different roles and functions of the government and what is expected of them as public servants.

PILAG is the only institution mandated by law to design, develop, and deliver all Public Sector Training Programs. All Public Sector Training Programs are tailored and contextualized to meet the needs of public servants at the national and sub-national level. This statutory mandate was ratified as government policy by the National Executive Council (NEC) in its Special Meeting No. 06/2021 on April 09, 2021. Public Service Induction Training is part of the Public Sector Training Programs, which is very important for all public servants.

The participants took the oath of Loyalty and Service administered by the PILAG Legal Counsel to become fully pledged public servants. They are now part of the National Public Service, subject to all its laws and regulations while remaining committed to serving the people of Papua New Guinea.

The Director for Business Innovation and Strategic Relations (BISR) for PILAG, Mr. Allan Kamale, while congratulating the participants, spoke highly of how important PSI Training is for all public servants. Mr. Kamale said a lot of public servants have never been inducted into the public service, and they have been working for many years without understanding the core business of the government and the different processes and protocols. He told the participants to appreciate being nominated to be part of the training, as it will equip them with knowledge on how to conduct themselves as public servants, how to execute tasks using protocols and processes set in place, and how the three arms of the government function. Mr. Kamale commended the Department of Defence for supporting its staff in taking up this important training. He also called on other government departments to partner with PILAG to deliver such training and other competency-based training tailored and contextualized to meet public service needs.

?Deputy Secretary for Corporate Services for the Department of Defence, Mr. Simon Tunapai urged the participants not to forget what has been taught to them, but rather put what they’ve learned to practical use in the workforce. He said the training is vital for the Department as their role is to support the PNG Defence Force and with such training, they will be better equipped with the right knowledge and skills to execute tasks.

The Deputy Secretary Tunapai and Director Kamale have both strongly encouraged the participants to have a change in mindset and attitude in their respective workplace environments now that they have been properly inducted into the public service.

Meanwhile, one of the longest-serving public servants among the participants was Sr. Martina Pansipik of the Tarangau Medical Centre, Lombrum Naval Base in the Manus Province. Sr. Martina is currently the Nurse in charge at Tarangau Medical Centre, working under the Department of Defence. She has been serving in the public service for the last twenty (20) years, and she is now being inducted into the public service for the first time. Sr. Martina said the training has helped her understand the structure and functions of the Three Arms of the Government. Despite being in the public service for more than twenty (20) years, she learned new things about the public service and its core functions from the training. She said PSI training should be done across all Government Departments and it should be a requirement for anyone who wants to join the Public Service.