EYE WITHIN

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

VISION The Ombudsman Commis-sion’s vision is to promote good leadership, good gov-ernance and good leaders.

MISSION The Constitution clearly states the purposes of establishing the Ombudsman Commission: ● To ensure that all govern-mental bodies are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the People; and ● To help in the improvement of the work of governmental bodies and the elimination of unfairness and discrimination by them; and ● To help in the elimination of unfair or otherwise defective legislation and practices af-fecting or administered by governmental bodies; and ● To supervise the enforce-ment of the Leadership Code. This constitutional mandate provides the Ombudsman Commission with its mission.

[Ombudsman Commission Strategic Plan 2005 – 2010]

Enga ERP a success Page 2

20 Days Human Rights Activism

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Deputy Ombudsman Thom’s visit

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Deputy Ombudsman Thom’s visit

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Strategic planning workshop

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Breast cancer aware-ness reaches OC

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N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 E D I T I O N

Commonwealth Deputy Ombudsman Dr. Vivienne Thom and OCPNG staff accompanying her on a trip to Parliament House earlier this month. Hello everyone and welcome to the NO-VEMBER edition of the WASDOK Newslet-ter. In this month, we look at the ERP trip to Enga Province which was led by Ombuds-men John Nero. Moreover, we’ll have a look at the 20 Days Human Rights Activism which was offi-cially launched by the Chief Ombudsman at the AOG Harvest Centre at Gordons. Visits by other Ombudsman organisations to PNG are frequent and we were privileged to have Deputy Ombudsman of the Common-wealth Ombudsman Dr. Vivienne Thom’s

We will also highlight the Performance Man-agement Review (PMR) and Strategic Plan-ning workshop held at the Hideaway Hotel at the beginning of this month. Lastly, we are joined by the Breast Cancer Foundation Founder Joyce Madu who in con-junction with Palmolive (PNG ) Ltd visited the Commission this month to raise awareness on the impacts of breast cancer and how it affects women and their respective families With that, happy reading and God Bless you all and stay safe as we gi into the festive sea-son. Editor.

WASDOK is a monthly publication, produced and edited by Patrick Marco and Bonner Tito of the Ombudsman Commission Media & Communications Unit and approved by the Secretary to the Commission before release. ©

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Nero tells Public Servants to maintain good conduct By Bonner Tito Community leaders and public servants in the Enga Province have been called on to lead by example in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities dur-ing official and after hours. Ombudsman John Nero told a packed Wapenamanda District Council Cham-bers during an Ombudsman Commis-sion staged awareness exercise on the roles and function last month. Ombudsman Nero also stressed that they should lead by example to main-tain peace and law and order in the ar-eas they worked and lived in. It is up to the leaders and the people to portray to the outside world what they can do in Enga to develop it. He also urged pubic servants that they had a duty to serve the people of Enga with out bias. “Whilst there is an issue hanging over the appointment of the Provincial Ad-ministrator, public servants should not take sides but work to serve the people of the province”. He said he was happy in the manner in which certain issues and development were progressing in the province and it was really up to those in authority and

A team of officers from the Ombudsman Commis-sion in Port Moresby and from its Regional Office in Mt Hagen were in the Enga Province from 26 to 30 October to promote the work of the Commission. The officers were on a five-day tour of the prov-

Enga Governor Peter Ipatas posing for a photo session with Ombudsman John Nero and other members of the ERP team.

ince to talk to representatives of Local Level Governments (LLG), public servants and school children in the six dis-tricts. The team was lead by Om-budsman John Nero and in-cluded officers from Head-quarters, Director for Regions and External Relations Progra-

m Nao Virobo, Lydia Mulina – Head of the Governmental Bod-ies Liaison Program, Vivian Forepiso, Senior Legal Officer Howard Maliso, Media and Communications Manager Bon-ner Tito and from Mt Hagen, Regional Manager Allan Bari-lae, Senior Investigator James Ngune and Thomas Waima.

The people of Enga Province, like most people from other provinces in the country that have been visited in the past knew little or nothing about the Ombudsman Commission or its roles and functions. The people generally consid-ered the Ombudsman Commis- cont’d to page 4

External Relations Program trip to Wabag a success

miss out on basic government services including health, education, law and order, infrastructure development and good roads because of such attitudes. He told the public servants to remain faithful and loyal and that their con-duct must be governed by the provi-sions of the Public Service Manage-ment act and the General Orders. Similar sentiments were also raised with meetings held in the Wabag Dis-trict with public servants and LLG rep-resentatives.

position to make it happen for the province. “As Ombudsman, let me appeal to the public servants that it is not your business to go into politics, you are here to serve the government of the day without fear or favour that is the law”. “I am sorry that alignment with politi-cal cronies was rampant throughout the country and as a result people were at the receiving end”. He said at the end of the day people

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20 Days Human Rights Activism Launched The International Twenty (20) Day of Human Rights Activism for this year was officially launched by the Chief Ombudsman Chronox Manek on the 20th of October, 2009 at the AOG Harvest Centre at Gordons in Port Moresby with the theme “Together We Re-spect, Promote and Protect Human Rights For All”. The significant occasion was attended by Chief Om-budsman Chronox Manek, Ombudsman Phoebe Sangetari, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Asger Ryhl, Community Development Secretary Jo-seph Klapat, Constitutional Law Reform Commission Chairman Professor Lawrence Kalinoe and other guests from the NGO’s and civil society organisa-tions. It was the first time the Government coordinated the celebrations through the Department of Community Development which took over the responsibility from CIMC. CIMC coordinated the event for the past 15 to 20 years. Chief Ombudsman Manek in his keynote address said that “Human Rights” was the foundation for democ-racy, good governance and rule of law. “Countries that make human rights a priority have good human rights record, practice democracy and uphold justice and the citizens have respect for one another and value human dignity. Thus, Human Rights are there-fore of significant importance to any society and PNG is no different.” echoed Mr. Manek. Commission officers from the Media Unit, Human Rights Unit and ISU also attended the event to display past Annual Reports and Investigation Reports as well as distribute and display posters, brochures and pam-phlets at a stall. The 20 Days of Activism are; • 20 November - International Children's Day • 25 November - International Day of Violence

against Children • 01 December - International Worlds AIDS Day • 03 December - International Day of Persons with

Disabilities • 05 December- International Volunteers Day • 09 December - International Anti -Corruption Day • 10 December - International Human Rights Day

At the official launch of the 20 days Human Rights Activism are; Un Resident Coordinator Asger Ryhl, Chief Manek, Ombudsman Sangetari, CLRC Chairman Lawrence Kalinoe and the another UN official.

Chief Ombudsman Chronox Manek giving his keynote ad-dress after officially launching the theme

Children doing a drama at the launch

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Deputy Ombudsman Thom visits OCPNG WASDOK Nius

sion as a body that investigated wrong conduct of elected leaders only. During the 5 days of the awareness exercise, community leaders spoke of lack of basic Government services reaching them. The team also called on the Engan Governor Peter Ipatas prior to the commencement of the 5 day awareness pro-gram. During the visit, the team had covered Wapenamanda District Administration and two LLG’s, Wabag District Administration and three LLG’s, Laiagam District Admi-

Chief Manek presenting a gift to Deputy Om-budsman Vivienne Thom at the OC Office in Port Moresby

Part of the delegation strolling through the Bomana War Cemetery

nistration and one LLG and the Porgera District Admini-stration and three LLG’s. Schools covered in the five days included Wapena-manada Primary School, Four Square High School, Pom-bapos Primary School, Pombapos Vocational School, Yaibos Primary School, Birip Primary School, Sari Pri-mary School, Par Primary School, Sirunki High School, Laiagam Primary School, Porgera Primary school, Paiam (Porgera) High School and Paiam Primary School. The awareness exercises are part of the Commission’s program to inform and educate the people of its roles and functions.

External Relations Program trip to Wabag a success

Deputy Ombudsman to the Com-monwealth Ombudsman Dr. Vivienne Thom recently paid a visit to the Commission office in Port Moresby this month. The weeklong engagement in-cluded, amongst other discus-sions, talks to women in the Com-mission on how best they could be empowered towards contributing positively to the work of the Com-mission and also other issues. She also met with the male offi-cers later including senior officers and two (2) MOC to discuss other things. Dr. Thom also took time out to visit places like the Bomana War Cemetery at 9 Mile outside Port Moresby, the Botanical Gardens next to the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and also attended a Parliament session at the Parliament House. Chief Ombudsman Chronox Manek welcomed her and said the Commission was very apprecia-tive of her presence and presented her with a gift during a luncheon ceremony.

Botanical gardens Manageress explaining the varieties of animals species

Girls having a cup of tea during Deputy Ombudsman’s visit Below: Gift from the Botanists

From page 2……..

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Dr. Thoms visit in PICTURES

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2020f Section 187C (2) (a) of the Constitution to have an elective or mainly elective legislature” Counsel Narokobi sub-mitted. The Ombudsman Commission is seeking a Supreme Court reference pursuant to the Constitution, section 19, in the mat-ter of Sections 1 and 2 of the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments (Amendment No. 10) Law 2006.

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Strategic Planning for the OC takes shape The Ombudsman Commissions Strategic Planning workshop was held at the Hideaway Hotel on the 5th of November, 2009 after the Performance Management Review (PMR) for the previous two (2) days at the same venue The Members of the Commis-sion gave their opening remarks and the strategic priorities and directions for the Commission for the next 5 – 10 Years. Susan Hayes (Development Practitioner for LJSS) presented on the planning terminologies and the alignment of the plan to government and the sector priori-ties through the Sector Strategic Framework (SSF) and National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2010 – 2050. She also presented on the different levels of the planning process. Counsel Vergil Narakobi pre-sented on the constitutional man-date, purpose and functions of the Commission. He related the mandate to the rule of law and alignment to the 2010 – 2050 NSP. Presentations were also made by David Ward (Development Prac-titioner attached to OC) and Di-rector CAID Joseph Molita on complaints trend analysis back-dating to 1976 comparing against the population growth per re-gion. Acting Policy and Planning Manager Albert Sambre pre-sented on the review of the cur-rent Strategic Plan 2006 – 2010 and the interim findings on the Service Delivery Survey. The workshop was very interest-ing as it had group discussions and varying views on the key challenges for the future .

The group discussion contin-ued on with formulating the Vision and Mission statements whereby everyone contributed to come up with the draft Vi-sion and Mission statements. The workshop was very suc-cessful as it achieved its in-tended outcome of developing the draft Vision and Mission statements and listed some of the challenges for the next five (5) years. The participatory approach was well appreciated by all as it provided the opportunity for them to contribute valuable ideas and inputs. The second Strategic Plan workshop will be held concur-rently with the 4th Quarter 2009 PMR workshop in Janu-ary or February 2010. It is anticipated that the next workshop in 2010 will achieve the following:

◊ Confirm the Vision and Mission state-ments;

◊ Revisit the Values & Principles

◊ Stakeholders consul-tation

◊ Feedback on the CMR recommenda-tions

◊ Listing of the priori-ties;

◊ Cluster the priorities into 4 – 5 Key Re-sult Areas

◊ Develop strategies for each of the KRAs.

Ombudsman John Nero stressing some crucial points at the Strategic Planning workshop

Top: Susan Hayes noting down ideas and inputs from the managers and officers Below: Counsel Vergil Narakobi explaining to the work-shop attendees on what the workshops aims to achieve at the end of the day

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All opinions, statements and writings contained in the Wasdok are those of the relevant authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions, statements, writings or views of the Ombudsman Commission of Papua New Guinea. The Commission issues no invitation to anyone to rely upon this newsletter and it intends by this state-ment to exclude liability for any such opinions, state-ments, writings and views.

Ombudsman Commission of Papua New Guinea,

Ground Floor, Deloitte Tower, Douglas Street, PO Box

1831, Port Moresby 121, NCD, PAPUA NEW GUINEA,

Phone: 675-308-2600 Fax: 675-320-3260,

Email:

ombudspng@ombudsman.gov.pg

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OC staff posing with their certificates after the graduation ceremony

The Breast Cancer Founda-tion paid a visit to the Om-budsman Commission office late last month to raise awareness on Breast cancer. Joyce Madu, a breast cancer survivor and founder of the Breast Cancer Foundation gave a testimony on how the deadly disease affected her life. She said the month of Octo-ber was the World Breast Cancer month and urged everyone in the Commis-sion, especially, women to be more aware of the symp-toms so that they could be

as many women as possible in the city with the assistance of Colgate Palmolive who have been funding her awareness workshops.

treated at an early stage to avoid late repercussions. She said although breast cancer was the second highest cancerous killer after cervical cancer in the country, the Government still has done nothing to improve the health system in the country. Thus, she said PNG does not have the capacity for treatment and counselling like in Australia which was ahead on raising awareness and treatment and counselling for cancer patients. She said her aim was to educate

Commission staff being attentive while workshop con-vener Joyce Madu (standing) makes a point.

The Commission staff re-cently completed an Inves-tigators workshop at the OC training room for a period of one (1) week dur-ing the month. The workshop was facili-tated and organised by David Ward Development Practitioner for LJSS) in c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h Augustine Grimbai of the Human Resources Unit. The aim of the workshop was to train investigators and non investigators alike

so that people Commis-sion employees could be multi-skilled in dif-ferent areas rather than concentrating on one area only. Timothy Wrumongo (Team Leader, Unit 6) thanked David for the training and hoped that the employees could utilise skills gained from such trainings to achieve better results for the Commission and also train others in the same areas.

Commission officers attend Investigators training