Why is the position of the Managing Director of the Mineral Resources Development Authority being readvertised again for the third time? Has there been any explanation put out publicly as to why they are seeking applications again for the third time? Maybe some candidates might throw some light on this?
While on that topic of merit based appoinment, some heads of departments and statutory bodies are under acting leadership for too long...well beyong six months. How does one reconcile this situation with the General Order where a person who acts beyond 6 months can asks to be confirmed to the position. Some input from HR bosses in the public service employment arena, could help throw some light here.
I read in todays paper that the supreme court challenge by John Kawi, a candidate for the Secretary and Attorney General position has concluded hearing and decision to be given in April. Would be interesting to know then what the supreme court will say.
The tussle in the office of head of National Planning and the clash of sepiks chiefs in the National Housing Commission and the 3rd time readvertising of the MRDC MD position, are just some indicators that makes me wonder if the Law on merit Based appoinments is judiciously being followed by the appointing authority? or are we still applying the wantok system and male chauvenist prejudices in giving jobs to the boys?

'meri nating'

Hello Meri Nating, yu trupla meri stret na stap wantaim yu long bel na tingting yu tromoi long hia. Tasol displa hevi yu toktok long em, em no nupla samting. Em stat na grow go kamap lapun na karim pikini na kolim tumbuna pinis. Bai mi tok olsem nau em gat 'genealogical ancestry' blong em yet. Long tok English bai mipla ken tok olsem em kamap 'culture' pinis. Bikpla samting em yumi mas traim long bungim tingting long how bai yumi sanap wantaim long daunim displa nupla kain "pasin tumbuna".

Let me share with you a personal experience. 2 years ago I was shortlisted as a candidate to head a small statutory organisation which is normally funded almost solely by the PNG Government. 5 of us who were considered: two of the candidates had PhDs (from a world renown university); one had a masters and one was completing his masters and the other had a bachelor's degree. We all brought with us a diversity of skill and experience that could have been useful to that organisation. We were all interviewed on the same day by a Board of Trustees which comprised of some senior PNGns and some other members who were appointed by the appropriate minister then.

After the interview, an election was taken amongst the 10 board members. It turned out that I was the most favoured candidate who picked up 7 out of the 10 votes. The remaining 3 votes were shared amongst the next 4 candidates who were in the race with me. I do not know how each of them featured in the election but a shortlist was then constructed by the Board Members. The list should then have been made available to the Minister of Public Service who, in consultation with the appropriate minister concern, takes up the issue of the appointment of Head of Department with the National Executive Council. But in this case, the Minister of Public Service was not consulted instead the appropriate minister then took charge of the matter. They strategically delayed a decision and took about 4 months before the issue of this appointment was brought into the NEC. The NEC overlooked the shortlist and appointed someone whom it thought at that time was the 'appropriate candidate', despite all the glaring reports that were published about that 'appropriate candidate' in the press some of which were emanating from investigations of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Parliament. All this happened when the Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, was out of the country.

By the time the PM returned, little could be done about that appointment except through instituting a court action. No such step was considered and by the time the national elections came around in June 2007, the appointment was solidified when concerns for political solidarity became paramount within the ranks of the ruling National Alliance Party.

The organisation is currently being managed by that 'appointed candidate' and you could only guess what is going on there right now! A new minister is in charge of it and the appointee and the minister are not in a proper dialogue and word from the grape vine is that they are not even looking into each other's eyes. A court action is currently underway to invalidate the appointment and while this is going on, all kinds of alliances are being forged to secure and consolidate different kinds of interests within the organisation. A new job structure is being implemented within the organisation even while it is contrary to the advise of the Department of Personnel Management. Some officers within that organisation recently reported that they are now faced with the threat of losing their jobs because they are not in the good books of the 'appointed candidate'. There are other serious things happening there too which I should spare the details for the time being. The point of reciting all this is to highlight the current and growing inability of that organisation to secure and promote the moral and legislative responsibilities it has as a publicly funded organisation.

This story which I have narrated above also goes to highlight the way in which appointments of important governt organisations are sometimes based on political and or other personal interests which then compromise and ignore national interest. Then what becomes the privileged discourse is what the politicians say and do and not what the country needs and demands.

As for myself, I have decided to go on and do my own things in my chosen profession. I am hoping that more and more of young PNGns might begin to hate politics for what it is doing to our country and hopefully you could all learn to extricate yet be critically interested in the affairs of our great country. We need a generation of PNGns who are critical but not indulge themselves in the seductive indulgences of politics? Ultimately I think the question is how can we be politically engaged without being political?


Em tasol wanbel i stap na mi tromoi tasol, bai yupla yet ken holim holim na pilai pilai long em na yumi lukim.

Brat

Getting job is best if you know top brass and look good in the morning

Able,

Thanks for your comments. Yes I do know the PM personally, my blood relatives work for him and some of his advisors are my close friends. I never wanted to use this set of personal connections to bring advantage to myself. I saw the job as labourious and demanding and which requires an appropriately qualified person with vision and acumen to push it on. I offered myself as a groom to be wedded to this professional career but as it often happens, politics came in between and since then I refuse to go into bed with politics.

Knowing the top brass works for some people, for me knowing the top brass is a privilege of history and personal relationships. It must not be converted into an object of instrumental action and self-seeking pursuit.

I believe I am saying something else here and this is the reason why I thought it paramount to share my own personal experiences in this Forum.

Brat

Brat,

You wrote eloquently this:

"I offered myself as a groom to be wedded to this professional career but as it often happens, politics came in between and since then I refuse to go into bed with politics."

Great going Brat. I admire your courage and determination. You refused to politico-footy and opted out of any deal that would compromise your beliefs, values, professional competences, and most of all, integrity.

How many right-minded PNGean's can do that? I guess very few! And I salute you for your stance!

I am sure there was a higher calling for you; to serve the global citizenry than to muck around Waigani. I know you're enjoying everything that comes with that vocation. Good people deserve better.

In the know...
19 mars 2008

PS. Did not have any political clout nor the need to construct political clout to navigate my way up the institutional hierarchy back home so I'd moved on (overseas), and have no regrets. I do serve my country (PNG) better from here.

brat, laikim yu nating tru. mi giv up na nau mi stap outside long system. me resign. Am setting myself up as a private practitioner. talk to me on mointeikashell@yahoo.com
It's up to you young ones now. planti samting ino stret. I don't want to die being implicated by association to the fact that I was a public servant at the time certain decisions were made that has cost our people and our country.
plse get in touch via my email above.
'meri nating'

Brat, tenk yu tasol mi gat laik long pulim toktok moa yet ya
the merit based appointment law is good law, BUT to date the delay in appointments and the readvertising of jobs 2nd 3rd time round makes a mockery of this law. now which government or state agency can be activated to ensure that the executive arm of government complies with this law? as it is, only the private individual, at his/her own costs/expenses take the issue up to the Judiciary another independent arm of government to enforce compliance. this is why the appointing authority can sit on the appointment indefinitely and have their choice of candidate be appointed to "act" in the position, if the appointing authority does not agree with the short listed candidates.
I fail to reconcile with the fact that the General Orders of the public service says that one can only act in a position for no more than six months! If this General Order is to be strictly applied ( where is the pubic service commission or the Department of Personel Management) then those many acting CEO's and Departmental heads can demand that they be made permanent in the acting positions they are holding. if there are lawyers or HR bosses out there listenning in, they can throw some light on this very point.
I WAS SHORTLISTED ( one of three) for a Departmental Head but no decision was made to date (haha ha like even my gender was not good enough, not even for positive or affirmative discrimination per CEDAW covenantion..LOL.
Many of the candidates for the post have move on to other fields to earn their bread and butter to take care of their families. Likewise myself. What is nagging most of us is the fact that the Executive arm of government has eliminated those patriotic nationalists who loved best their service for the soverign state of png. No not the government of the day but that the government of the day must also respect the Constitution and the rule of law.
For over three years now the position is still being played by actors! excuse my choice of expression. Part of the reason was that one of the applicants challenged the public servise commission for not including his name in the short list that was submitted to the NEC. I belive he (John Kaw) is doing us the applicants and in the interst in the rule of law, a favour with this court challenge. I for one am happy that this colleague challenged the short list that the public service commission submitted to NEC.
I am no longer excited about the job but am very interested to know what the Supreme Court will say about the appointing processes for Departmental Heads and other public Office Holders. From reports in the daily newspapers, I understand that the Supreme Court decision on this matter will be handed down in April.
Bai mi wait na lukim.
Brat me toktok tumas, na ating plant bai guess faia long husaet em me. not that it will hurt me. me inap!
ol sampla brada susa PNG, yupla tok!
'meri nating'

Meri Nating,

as citizen of PNG, you have the obligations and democratic rights to raise questions on issues regarding the appointments in top-level government's positions.

as PNG citizen, i'm also very concern about the so call; political appointments in various governments departments and other statutories. its very sad to see that happening in PNG.

once the country's bureaucracy appointments are purely political than merit-base, this will cause another setback to see tangible developmental policies and planning of the country to achieve its medium or long term development initiatives.

Merit Nating,

Tenkyu long bekim toktok na sukurim tingting i go liklik moa. Bel na tingting blong yu em trupla tasol mi gat sampla hevi.

The idea of introducing a law to sanction merit based appointments seems like an attractive option because it seems provide the redemptive hope of delivering us from the endless oppression we suffer from political interference and discrimination.

I am however a bit sceptical not about the idea of a merit-based law to regulate appointments but more about the effectiveness of such a law. We turn to believe that if things dont work, it is because we dont have the necessary legal arrangements so we have proliferate a new set of legal mechanisms so that they could erase, eliminate and emancipitate us from an oppressive status quo. So we keep on making new laws without trying to make the new laws work for us. Laws are good and effective only if there are enforced, monitored and adjusted accorded to the prevailing circumstances of our times.

What we might need is an extra surveillance system that keeps track of the effectiveness of laws, the rewards and retributions they offer and of their ability to retain their legitimacy as laws of some significance. Such a system can be organised through aligning sister organisations and a team of appropriately qualified and concerned professionals to share information and synergies their efforts to make our laws effective. Isolation, departmental enclaves, empires only work to frustrate an effective enforcement of the moral and legislative aspirations of particular laws.

Em inap luk olsem bai mi pulim toktok tumas na bai sampla lain go boring long hia so mi lusim olsem. Bai mipla toktok moa sapos i gat lain laik sukurim tingting yet!

em mi tasol

Brat

Meri Nating you mas dispela meri manus NJ. Sopos i true em yu? bai mi tok olosem yu wanpela fit meri stret. Mi sore stret long ol dispela kain politics i wok long kamap long ples blong wok blong yupela.

elaborate more; whats NJ stands for

Meri Nating & Brat and the rest who've discussed here. I feel somewhat compelled to share a bit of info I dug out on the web somewhere about the success'es of the United States Of America

Its about the checks and balances against each institution to making sure no tyranny takes full control of the USA.
...........................................

Checks and balances
======================
A fundamental principle undergirding the design of American government is that of the separation of powers, which prescribes the parcelling out of the various powers and functions of government to separate and relatively independent levels and branches of the federal system in order to prevent their all being controlled at the same time by any potentially tyrannical political faction. But, to the way of thinking of the Framers of the Constitution, the long-term survival of free popular government would require more than simply a purely formalistic separation of governmental functions and powers into completely independent organizational jurisdictions. Ambitious and unscrupulous office holders in one or another of the various branches and levels of government could be expected to encroach upon the powers and authority of the other branches and levels from time to time, and this would gradually bring about a tyrranical concentration of powers unless the leaders in the other parts of the government could be given the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist the encroachments of the others. "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man [the officeholder] must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place."

From this the Framers concluded there was a need for the Constitution to include a built-in set of "checks and balances" -- the necessary legal weaponry for each branch to defend itself against encroachments on its independence and authority by the others. In most cases, this contervailing power is purely negative, usually taking the form of some special constitutional grant of authority for one branch to say "no" to at least some of the specific decisions of the other branches in their own fields of specialization and then make it stick. (Some examples: The two houses of Congress may finally agree on a compromise to pass or repeal a law, but the President can veto it. President and Congress can agree on passing a law, but if the federal judiciary declares it to be unconstitutional the courts will refuse to treat the law as valid or enforceable. The courts can issue orders and injunctions for particular individuals to act or refrain from acting in particular ways, including public officials, but the power of the law enforcement agencies in the executive branch is needed to enforce them if the individuals in question decide to disobey. The Congress cannot control the way a judge will rule in a particular case before him, but Congress has the power to define and redefine the jurisdiction of the various federal courts. The President has general supervision of the conduct of foreign policy and military policy, but his treaties must be ratified by the Senate before they enter into force, and only Congress can appropriate public money to pay for such things as the raising of an army or the dispensing of foreign aid.) Under the system of checks and balances, each branch has primary authority to decide on certain kinds of issues, yet each branch often requires at least minimal voluntary cooperation from the other branches if its decisions and initiatives are to be successfully implemented. Since officeholders are assumed to be ambitious and jealous of their authority, policy cooperation and coordination across the various branches and levels of government can only be the product of hard bargaining and mutually acceptable delineation of authority -- therefore hopefully sustaining the constitutional separation of powers through maintaining a practical balance of power among rival powerholders. And since by virtue of the differing compositions of their constituencies the leading officeholders tend to be responsive to somewhat differing interest groups within society, the need for negotiated compromises among the various branches and levels of government in order to implement policy may also translate into a policy-making process that takes seriously into account the interests of many minorities along with those of majorities.

Criticisms of the separation of powers and checks and balances concepts point out that such arrangements make policy making more cumbersome and time consuming than it needs to be and that in fact it can result easily in a deadlock in which government is unable to take any action at all. Moreover, it is also said to be undemocratic, in that it places barriers to the absolute power of the majority to determine public policy by imposing on majorities the need to bargain with (and make concessions to) minorities that have managed to gain disproportionate influence on one or another branch or level of the federal system of multiple governmental institutions. For these reasons, political thinkers who see government as the primary instrumentality for the community to successfully combat or adjust to an on-going series of emergencies that have no other possible remedy tend to be very suspicious of such decentralized power arrangements. On the other hand, political thinkers that see society and the economy as largely self-regulating organisms that need relatively little in the way of new policy initiatives from government for their successful functioning tend to take a more favorable view of checks and balances.

Meri nating, the email I sent you on the address you provide here bounced back at me. And this in complete resistance to the best of my intentions to have it deposited in your inbox. The message which accompanied the rebound was alarming:the report shows that yahoo doesnt remember you having an account with them....LOL... I thought this might be an amusing piece of report you might you want to know! LOL

In order to preserve a partial sense of anonymity here, why not you shoot me a line on this old address : am308@cam.ac.uk

Brat

Educating discussion. This is sort of discussion we would like to read, but by so many other people as well, rather than Mr/Dr Brat and Ms MeriNatin. Very interesting to know what really is happening in appointment process. If the Politics of the Nation is rejecting the suitables (people with principles) we will be thrown around like football. So we do our own thing, create our own employment, educate our kids differently and spread good news that politics always divides. We need to build PNG like Italy. People there have ignored politics completely. Politicians have changed 00' times but hasn't or does not change the way people live.Their economy almost always is thriving, because Politics will never determine their destiny. Therefore let us not cry over that past, help yourself and lead the career where everybody else is not head ng to. I like the path which Ms Merinatin is taking. I think Mr Brat and more of him are needed in PNG, very thoguhtful people.

I sent email and later police thumped on my door and arrested me for communicating with known terrorist. What I want is are you terrorist or are you using email blong terrorism suspects and if you are terrorist why are you insulting great name of my PNG and why isn't you in kalabus and why you chose name Brat when the real Brat is also in kalabus for treason against my PNG

Another waitman another fool another idiot another tool

It is pleasing to note that three permanent apointments have been made. They are Departmentt of Works (Joe Luma), Department of Mineral (Nelly James), Department of Provincial and Local Level Governments (Manasupe Zurenuoc).
Out of these three, one is a female. Ms Nelly James has the credentials and the merits to be made permanent in that position she was acting on. (However, she may have her work or functions overlapped or duplicated with 'Petromin' and 'Mineral Resources Authority' (MRA) operating under their own seperate legislation). I congratulate Nelly James and wish her all the best.

For the two male counterparts, I must say I am pleased that Manasupe Zurenuoc is now the confirmed Secretary for the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government. As Minister Temu said "Cabinet took into consideration more than 20years knowledge and experience that Mr. Zurenuoc had of the workings of the Morobe Provincial and Local Level Government system" to appoint him.
I have had the previledge of discussions and sharing notes with him on many occassions during consultations and seminars on various goverment reform programes and I found him to be a very knowledgeable young man, perticularly in the fields where I am well versed in.
I offer my congratulations to Mr. Zurenuoc for a well deserved promotion.

Of Mr. Luna, Minister Temu said "Mr. Luna has extensive knowledge of the works Department including being responsible for the overall coordination of project implementation of both capital works and maintenance in all 19 provinces, as well as formulating the implementation guidlines of the District Roads and Bridges Program".
I congratulate Mr. Luna.

Lastly, I must congratulate the NEC for making these three appointments.

There are other "Acting Heads" that need confirming or proper merit based appointment to be made asap. One of which, I made mention in my first posting, is awaiting handing down of court decision in April.


(above quotes taken from Sunday Chronicle March 23 2008 at page 3.)

'meri nating'

Thanks meri nating for the update. I wish they would sort out the others particularly NAQIA and PANGTEL. Infact I reckon they should disolve PANGTEL they are complete waste of tax-payers money.

Check out how much a standard office is paid at Pangtel. I am told that a secretary or a pay office clerk are entitled for a house allowance upto K250 per week. Think about other Public servants in PNG who are working really hard.

interesting discussions keep it up..

Whatever you guys do, despite the political crap that discourages you to take up posts in the country. I must encourage you to please reconsider when you get another opportunity to serve in this beautiful country...

PNG really need God fearing and honest leadership at all levels starting at homes, community, districts, provinces and at the national level.

The saga is not yet over. The Grand Chief and Prime Minister Sir Micheal Somare was questioned in Parliament this week why there was no appointment yet made to the office of the Managing Director of the Mineral Resources Development Corporation (MRDC). The office is still vacant after the last MD, Mr. Francis Kaupa, resigned last year.
As I have stated in earlier post, this position has been advertised and readvertised 2nd time. Now what is happenning, is the question on everybody's mind and I am glad the a Member of Parliament posed the question to the Grand Chief. Of course the Member is asked to put it in writing and an answer would be forthcoming in due course!

I am aware of two candidates who applied and the two in my opinion are qualified for the post of Managing Director. It is not fair on the applicants to have to wait that long for the appointing authorities to comply with the law and make appointments..on ones own MERITS!

Regulatory Statutory Authorities (AppoinTment to Certain Offices) Act No. 23 of 2004.

"Section 5. Merit-Based Appointment Process.

Regulations may prescribe a merit-based appointment process which shall involve the following:-

a) the advertisement of a vacancy in an office in the prescribed format together with minimum person specification for applicants to the position;

b) the assesment of each applicants curriculum vitae, submitted in a prescribed format, and their competency to perform the prescribed duties as measured against the minimum person specification for the position;

c) a ranked ordered assesment of all the applicants for the advertised position in terms of their relative competency to perform the prescribed duties;

d) the merit based assesment described in this section shall be the primary consideration of the Public Service Commission in making a recommendation to the Board; and

e) all other considerations not related to the processes described in this section shall have no bearing in the recommendation of the Public Service Commission and of the Board."

The above is copy typed for your ease of reference.

Now where is the blockage...the Public Service Commission...The MRDC Board???? or is their going to be a re advertising of the position again (3rd) time?

'meri nating'

Please refrain from calling the man as 'grand chief', he's done nothing constructive to improve the life of ordinary Papua New Guineans. He was instrumental in the fight for independance but he lucks foresight like nearly ALL politicians in Waigani (past & present).

Yes, they may have contributed meaningfully at various levels of society in PNG but none has come close to be called the grand chief - the whole lot are a bunch of thieves.

My suggestion is instill good values on our children and make them become more honest & decent Papua New Guineans. I feel everyone is wasting their times talking about issues here and at the end of it, you guys can not impact directly on decision-making in cabinet! The power lies in the hands of crooks in the corridors of Waigani and trust me they don't even take note of what we are discussing in this forum.

I find it strange for people who are currently living outside of PNG can see fit within themselevse as if they can make a direct impact on these corrupt bunch in the huas tambaran! Let us not dream - the reality is, should you want to have a direct impact on the livelihood of ordinary citizens in PNG - you start making direct contacts with these overly corrupt people and live your comfort zones outside of PNG - return home and try to achieve something tangible.

Maski long pekpek nabaut long dispela board.

Au revoir
Parisian

I am used to picking pockets, stealing beer from bilums, raiding the fridge of my neighbour; you know, all that heavy crim crap. But I ain't grand although I am a Somare. Just don't pick on me as I am sensitive to other people's criticismsmsasms

Somare Sam is a nice name but do you have the balls to run the show?

Oi AK not all of us are out of PNG at the moment.
harim a? HKY

That definitely needs explaining, wantok

The Government should be doing their best to get the best PNG brains in the country to run this companies. For MRDC and Petromin instead of recycling old and used public servants and political cronies like Joshua Kalinoe and Francis Kaupa, Somare should doing his best to get someone like Anthony Smare to come and run it. The young guy is General Manager of Barrick Gold in PNG and he's been involved in buying the Kainantu gold mine and other deals. We should go all out to get the best talent into these government companies instead of the old used ones who dont have any business experience. Other young guys like Michael Uari and Francis Waine should be considered for these jobs instead of the same old useless guys who keep stuffing everything up.

lets face it guys the best old men in PNG are what you will be when you all grow up. You all will turn out exactly the same as these old corrupted geezers that try to run PNG now. So lets stop all this malarchy and face the facts and that is PNG men are corrupt lazy and downright dirty. I don't trust any of you.

Pretty constructive arguments here...

I just have one question. Was Mr. Zurenuok cleared of the charges leveled against him? I recall something happening at the Haus Tutumang last year concerning him and mismanagement of funds but I didn't hear of the outcome.

Clarification on that issue would be appreciated. Thanks!

We are not cousins. We are not related. My name is more noble than the Sepik's. I have gold letters on my name. I have a beautiful wife and child and I live in a bold new house outside of Madang. Anyone can come to my house and enjoy themselves as long as they respect my ancient uncle who is dying of rotting liver and who keeps his booze locked up under his toilet.

Finally an appointment is made of a Managing Director for MRDC. And May I add the choice was right. Applause all around for the merit based appointment process. Augustine Mano I congradulate you!
'meri nating'

My question is; has Augustine Mano got the relevant experience to lead an organisation? Has he been tried & tested with other organisations prior to this appointment? Or is this really to keep the landowners 'shut' because he is one of them?

I'm not bothered to be frank. I just feel that the PNG government could have looked a little more than what they did.

Augustine certainly appears to have the relevant educational background but has got real tangible exposure to corporate leadership?

I shall leave that to him to prove.

(I suppose we should give him a chance to prove himself).

black gold explorer

What is your definition of 'merit based appointment?'

"Merit Based" comes with a wealth of experience, exposer and SUCCESS at all levels of cooperated managemment, not just papers, a collection of papers don't usually mean success in the practicle side of things.

Credit to Augistine Mano, prove yourself bro, it's quite a task but, given the opportunity, give your best shot. People will be watching.

Wan School PANATHS

"Merit Based" comes with a wealth of experience, exposer and SUCCESS at all levels of cooperate managemment, not just papers, a collection of papers don't usually mean success in the practicle side of things.

Credit to Augistine Mano, prove yourself bro, it's quite a task but, given the opportunity, give your best shot. People will be watching.

Wan School PANATHS

You've answered it below and you said earlier:

Merit Based" comes with a wealth of experience, exposer and SUCCESS at all levels of cooperate managemment, not just papers, a collection of papers don't usually mean success in the practicle side of things.

Like everyone else in life - you've got to be given a chance to prove yourself. Augustine has that chance now so he has to prove critics including myself wrong! I'm still concerned about his lack of experience in the coporate world though. But its up to him now to demonstrate & prove that he is the right man for the job.

In all wrongs in Government and in the Public Service, the result is that goods and services are not delivered, resources are wasted, time is lost, money is squandered, mutual tension and distrust grows. The result is that the country and the people do not grow.

There is nothing wrong with getting others, especially if they are better qualified, to do spade work. But there is no substitute for independant thought for making choices and decisions by leaders. Where leaders substitute the opinions and views of experts for their own, they run the risk of taking decisions that might be perfect for one faction of the community, but possibly harmful for the general good of the country. This is especially critical in the technical fields, where technocrats, technologists and experts like to claim monopoly and infallibility. It is vital for the good management of the country for leaders, especially Ministers and departmental heads, to stop meddling with the trivial and get on with hard thinking and good decisions.

Political interference in public service is extremely demoralising. Sometimes an inocent public servent gets transferred, demoted or even forced out of office. The victim may well be a person with a high sense of duty and determinded to give his best. Another form of political interferrence may involve meddling with decisions of boards or committees. Lets say a board has decided that John should get a licence or a permit. An unsuccessful canidate, Bill goes to a politician and complains. Eventually John does not get his privilege and Bill gets it.

Giving jobs to political friends to promote a particular political philosophy is also a public offence. We often think that the only crimes are those of breaking and entering or stealing or breaches of the Criminal Code or Summary Offences Act, or the Public Order Act and so on.