2014 Pacific Local Government Research Roundtable Part of: 2014 PLGF &CLGF Port Moresby DECENTRALIZATION Implementing the OL: –Policy Shifts &Impacts on Service Delivery Frontiers By Sir Paul Songo Special Task Team –ROL-PG&LLG 19 th May

CONTENT  Background  Key Points  Aims of the Organic Law  Elected & Appointed Representatives  Policy Issues  Decentralization  Key Service Delivery Challenges  Planning  Service Improvement Program  Defined Roles and Responsibilities  Performances & Management Issues  Management  Final Remark

KEY POINTS OF THE PRESENTATION  Aims of the Organic Law are Noble  Very Elaborate Government Structure  Decentralization is a must for PNG  Decentralization has worked in two forms in PNG  Key Service Delivery Challenges  System of Bottom –Up Planning  Implementation –Service Delivery Program  Who should do what in delivering services?  Performance & Management Issues

BACKGROUND  BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AS:  Between  Former President of POMOTU-NDREHET /KURTI –ANDRA Rural Local – Level Government (Mid North Coast Manus Province) and  Former Member of the JDP&BPC  Former Member of Manus Provincial Assembly  Former Member of the Manus Provincial Executive Council, and  Between  Program Manager for the Capacity –Building and Institutional Strengthening Program (CBISP) for Local Government Leaders and their Officers -PNG

AIMS OF THE PRESENT REFORM  Improve Delivery of Service  Decentralizing Powers and Responsibilities;  Place more Public Servants to Districts and Local Government Administration;  Communities plan their needs under the Planning System;  Funds follow Functions;  Reduce Mismanagement &Misuse of Public Funds;  Bring Decision –Making closer to the People;  Improve Monitoring and Reporting

ELECTED & APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES  The Organic Law created 38, 836 leadership position:  22 Governors, Chairpersons –PEC &Chairpersons-JPP&BPC;  89 Chairpersons of JDP&BPC;  319 Presidents & Chairpersons of LLG Assemblies  6,186 Ward Councillors;  30, 930 Associate Members of WDC;  980 Appointed Representatives.

POLICY ISSUES  DECENTRALIZATION must remain the cornerstone of any future government system in PNG  Finding the Best Political System;  Fair Representation through the Ballot Boxes and not by Appointments;  Power –Sharing between levels of governments;  Participation in Decision –Making;  High Performance Public Sector  Accountability and Transparency.

DECENTRALIZATION  WORKED IN TWO FORMS IN PNG  1976 Organic Law on Provincial Government  1995 Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local –level Governments  The former allowed greater autonomy over political, administrative and financial between national government and provinces.  The later, very centralized policy, administration and financial control based with the national government, has elected and appointed representatives.

KEY SERVICE DELIVERY CHALLENGES  Attitudes  Capacity of the Public Sector  Lack of Operations Funding  Deterioration of existing Infrastructure and facilities  Access  Absence of a Sustainable ‘Enabling Environment’ & ‘Service Delivery Centre’ at District level  High Administration costing  Incentives for Rural Workers  No One –Size fits All

PLANNING  System of Bottom –Up Planning  Ward Plan should identify Needs  LLG Plan set Priorities of Projects  District Plan should determines Development Program Strategies, Programs and Funding  Provincial Integrated Development Plan insures bottom up planning meet top down policies and resources required (Integrated Planning)  National Sector Plans provide Policy Directions and set Targets  National Plan articulates the National Vision & Development Policy Directives Note: Our Experience: Plans cascade upwards BUT funding does not cascade downwards according to approved Plans (programs and projects) priorities.

IMPLEMENTATION: SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS  District Service Improvement Program (DISP) by Open Member  Provincial Service Improvement Program (PSIP) by Provincial Member  Key Points  Funding follow Political and other specific Interests  Real Community Needs ignored  Approved Plans Programs &Projects ignored  Recurrent costing not considered  Ownership issue  Sustainability is a problem  Lack of effective coordination, alignment and integration between Programs  Note: Public Funds being channelled through too many sources.

SERVICE DELIVERY AGENCIES  National Government  Provincial Government  District Administration & LLG  District Becoming Service Centre  Ward Management  Donors  Churches  Non –State Actors  Private Sector  Community  Key Point:  There is duplication of roles among all Agencies  Parallel Programs is a waste of limited resources  Confusing Procurement Processes exist  Counter –part funding is a problem for many rural LLGs  Note> Clearly defined roles will minimize duplication and confusion

PERFORMANCES ISSUES  There are Critical Issues requiring attention especially at the Sub –National level in our administration at the Provincial, District, and Local Government levels Administration;  At the Functional level there is also service delivery challenges in Health; Education; Agriculture Extension Services; Transportation; Village Courts and the Informal Sector Activities in the villages.

MANAGEMENT ISSUES  Policy level - Defining what constitutes ‘Core Basic Services in the communities?  Operational level - Capacity/Weak Linkages/ Relationship//Staff Incentives/Leadership  LLG/Ward Level - No proper Up-to -Date Data maintained at community level - Too much Hand -Out Mentality and not enough Helping -Out  Other Cross –cutting Issues eg. HIV AIDS, Gender Equality etc.

MESSAGE In the heist for ’Improving Service Delivery’, we are experiencing a number of trends:  Funds no longer follow Functions and in line with approved Plans;  Funds follow politically or specific interests  Politicians are replacing Public Servants in delivering services  Self -Reliance is being eroded and replaced with the Hand –Out mentality  Sustainability of Projects and infrastructure at community level not guaranteed.

EM TASOL Thank you!!!