SANDAUN acting Secretary Sinur Atang has assured the public servants in the province that they would not be sacked or replaced, as claimed by the intending candidates in their election campaigns.

Mr Atang urged all public servants in the province yesterday not to be overly concerned about allegations made by aspiring candidates, but to continue serving the people as professional public servants.

He said that there would be no sacking or replacement of any public servants, whether senior, middle-level, or junior officers, by any politicians in power.

Mr Atang said this is because provincial governments do not have legislative powers to control and manage the public service, which is exclusively a matter for the National Public Service in Waigani.

“Public servants working in the province are assigned to public servants whose terms

 and conditions of employment are determined under the Public Service (Management) Act and the Public Service General Orders, which regulate their recruitment, appointments, promotions and discipline and not by any politicians, he said.

Mr Atang said that those intending candidates who talk about sacking or replacing public servants do not understand the Public Service system, and most importantly, they do not know the financial constraints on the government, which cannot afford to pay for displaced officers if they are sacked or replaced.

He warned candidates that those making defamatory remarks about individual officers at public rallies are liable to face prosecution. He said he would help officers who wished to take legal action in such cases.

To see this and access more stories from our 55-year-old history from the 1950s to 2000s, do visit our Post-Courier archive or email denaha@spp.com.pg or call +675 309 1120 for more information.