Poor performance by public officers seriously undermines Govt’s reputation

The civil servants represent the executive and their job is to implement the policies of the Government in power irrespective of which one it is.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama did not mince his words when he spoke at the opening of two Bua Provincial Council quarters on Tuesday.

He said he expected the staff to step up and serve the people because of the improved facilities.

No national leader travels so extensively across the country than Mr Bainimarama.

In his talanoa sessions, he hears people express their grievances about Government service deliveries, their hopes and aspirations.

So when he spoke in Bua, he was not only talking to the staff there. He was speaking generally because the principle of what he was saying was the same.

We may have the best facilities, but if we fail to perform than they are a terrible waste of resources.

The Bua staff members have been told to perform. The message was loud and clear. People in Bua expect the highest standard of service just as Mr Bainimarama outlined.

He is passionate about development issues because he wants this country to develop as fast as it can within the available resources.

His government approves development projects and civil servants implement them.

When something goes wrong and the projects are not delivered on time, it’s the Government that gets the blame. When the service is poor, the Government is blamed.

People see civil servants as part of Government and FijiFirst is Government. The buck stops with Mr Bainimarama.

Technically speaking they perform different roles. The FijiFirst Government represents the legislature, which makes laws. It has the mandate via the ballot box in an election to implement the policies in its manifesto. The civil servants represent the executive and their job is to implement the policies of the Government in power irrespective of which one it is. The separation of power is a form of checks and balance to ensure their independence and that there is no abuse. But the line particularly between the Government in power and the civil servants can be blurred.

Mr Bainimarama knows it and that was why he made that statement in Bua. Poor performance by public officers seriously undermines his Government’s reputation. It is unacceptable.