Bougainville public servants take advantage of new time zone
20 April 2015
LEONARD FONG ROKA
An entry in the Crocodile Prize
PNG Chamber of Mines & Petroleum
Award for Essays & Journalism
BOUGAINVILLE’s move to its own time zone late last year, an hour ahead of Papua New Guinea, has provided an unexpected boon for some provincial public servants.
A security guard of an Autonomous Bougainville Government office facility in Buka Town has complained that public servants are abusing their responsibilities before his eyes.
“I’m always the first in this office,” he told me as the clock reached 10 am in an empty office. “All these work stations remain empty most of the time.
“Near the fortnight, they arrive here, do a little bit of this and that and fade away after collecting their pay.”
The guard said Bougainville is in its own time zone but the public servants are not accepting it honestly. They come to work at Papua New Guinea time and leave in Bougainville time.
“This is bad,” he said. “They are not respecting the political changes happening in Bougainville.
“I am from Morobe but I came to Bougainville before the conflict and resided here through the crisis in the Tinputz District and now I consider myself a Bougainvillean.
“We all are working for Bougainville to reach its destiny that thousands died for.”
Time is precious, a minute that passes will not comes back, it has gone forever. If we utilize those single minutes that pass by, we are going to do something good for our country.
This sickness of public servants coming late to work is common in Papua New Guinea. If Bougainvilleans want to maintain the status quo, then it's something to think about whether you are serving your country or province honestly.
It is something all public servants whether in Bougainville or PNG to think about.
Posted by: Martinez Wasuak | 14 May 2015 at 11:39 AM
Some of us sacrifice to reach office by 7:45 the official work starting time and wait sick for the rest to come and open up the doors
Posted by: Leonard Fong Roka | 22 April 2015 at 12:26 PM
PNG time...one hour behind the scheduled time in Bougainville.
Come on Bougainvilleans, that should not be the way forward.
Time is non renewable, once it has gone, its gone. We cannot take it back so make use of every minute.
Posted by: George Kuias | 21 April 2015 at 01:52 PM