Monday 24th April 2023
Twenty-eight Staff from the PNG Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT, successfully completed a one-week induction program with the Somare Service Institute of Papua New Guinea (SILAG) which ended last week Friday 21st April 2023 with a graduation ceremony.
The staff members had completed their 12-month probationary period and were upskilled and inducted into the public service work force.
During the graduation ceremony, SILAG’s Business Relations and Strategic Relations Director (BISR) Mr. Allan Kamale emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in public service.
He congratulated the inductees and reminded them that they are serving the people of Papua New Guinea and God, stating, “When you go out, have it in your mind that you are serving the people of PNG and God, and I hope you go back and become better versions of yourselves.”
DICT Secretary Steven Matainaho acknowledged the efforts of SILAG for successfully inducting the DICT staff into public service.
He urged the inductees to remember their role in the department and the country, stating, “Each of you has a role to play in the Department and PNG, and contributes significantly to the department’s function as a unit thus everyone has a responsibility.”
“We will get a lot of criticism from everyone with the work we do, because social media is here now, but you must remember your role, put in the work and achieve it. Criticism is always there and it will build you.
“Whatever role you have, each of it is significant and it will add to the entire organization for it to fully function and serve the people of PNG,” said Secretary Matainaho.
SILAG Director Mr Robert Nemala, while congratulating the staff, described the term “servant” as a duty-bound role and reminded the inductees that they are now servants of the public.
He expressed pride in SILAG’s training program and encouraged feedback from the inductees, stating, “At SILAG, we are proud when we train people and they go out and transform an agency. We want feedback.”
The DICT Induction Class representative, Mr Charles Teviri, made special appreciation to the efforts of both the SILAG team and the Department of ICT in delivering the program.
He emphasized the need to promote integrity, accountability, and transparency and highlighted the program’s compliance with the General Orders and the Public Sector Workforce Development Initiative’s goal to improve the public administration’s performance and ability to deliver basic services effectively to the citizens of Papua New Guinea, stating, “We must aim to promote integrity, accountability and transparency.”
The induction program is a step in the right direction for the DICT staff and the country as a whole.
The hope is that the inductees will use their newly acquired knowledge and skills to deliver better services to the people of Papua New Guinea while upholding accountability and transparency in their roles.