Gov’t reminds public officers of conduct as GO prohibits political debates

The government reminds public servants to abide by the provision of the General Orders (GO) handbook that prohibits public servants from involving in political debates.

In a statement, government says that it is fully aware that many public servants have continued to disregard the GO, which governs their conduct, and this raises questions about their credibility as public servants.

Government says a public servant is supposed to mete out his or her duties without any favor or influence regardless of the polarizing political rhetoric around them.

Government reiterated that because of their work, public servants must remain neutral at all times.

Government says lately more public servants have engaged in political debates, and this is a worrying sign in as far as their status as public servants is concerned.

Government urged public servants to abide by the relevant provisions of the GO and warned that as the implementing body of the GO the Ministry of Public Service will continue to monitor the conduct of public servants.

Government reminded public servants that those who willfully disobey and disregard the provisions of the GO would be penalised accordingly.

Government is in the process of temporarily suspending social medium- Facebook- until such time a regulation will be established to govern the use of Facebook.

Amongst other reasons for the proposed suspension, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated that Facebook is destroying the unity of the country.

In the Pacific region, Papua New Guinea at once upon a time suspended the Facebook as well. It reopened the social medium only when the government saw it fit to do so.

ENDS///

Issued by Government Communications Unit