Oh how wonderful that our infant government has taken a baby step in the right direction at last!

From Tuesday's Post Courier

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced a moratorium on overseas travels for Ministers, heads of departments, government agencies and statutory bodies, as well as provincial administrators.

The announcement yesterday is part of a National Executive Council decision made during its meeting last week.

In that meeting, the NEC also banned the holding of conferences and workshops this year by government departments, statutory bodies and provincial administrations.

Many Papua New Guineans are congratulating Mista Prime Minista, Peter O’Neill since his timely announcement of the moratorium that was made effective as of last Wednesday 9^th January on all overseas travel for ministers and all those ‘bureaucrats’.

This according to media reports entails a ban on all overseas travel, a ban on holding workshops and conferences and if these directives are not heeded then there will be repercussions!

“Those who breach this NEC decision and directive will face stiff penalties, including suspension or dismissal,” Mr O’Neill warned.

“The NEC has directed the Department of Personnel Management to amend all employment contracts for Heads of Departments, Provincial Administrators and heads of statutory bodies to make non-compliance a “cause” of termination of employment.

Should a need for travel, a conference or a workshop arise, a letter has to be written to Mista Prime Minista’s office, from there it will be reviewed and either approved or not, then sent to the relevant people for planning and implementation. Let me say again - a baby step in the right direction!

Finally someone in the paramount Haus Tambaran must have smelt that rot and got the ‘squad’ to do something to clean it up. Imagine all that tax money that will be saved that was once spent on unnecessary, unproductive and just plain wasteful self-indulgent ‘official trips’!

The Prime Minister said the government expects to save about K40 million this year following the moratorium on overseas trips, conferences and workshops.

Hallelujah! Envision the ‘travel allowance’ that can now be put to better use like buying textbooks or medicine, fixing roads and other vital infrastructure - progress!

This one baby step in the right direction like any baby that takes its first step must be cheered and clapped at so that our baby will be encouraged to get up and try again should he fall. Who knows pretty soon our baby might even be walking!!!!!

Let’s us hope that another Sydney Hilton - Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Conference is many years (not to mention millions of kina!) away.

©Klaireh