Chief executive officers, cabinet secretaries and leading administrators from Commonwealth Pacific member states are meeting in Nuku’alofa this week to come up with an agreed plan of action on how to better support the political and administration environment at the centre of Government.

The three-day Third Commonwealth Forum for Administrative Leadership in the Pacific Centre of Government is attended by delegates from the Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Tonga.

Dr Taiamoni Pifeleti, a Pacific Regional Advisor from the Commonwealth Secretariat said today at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre that the gathering of committed professionals will be guided by shared values and ethical standards to serve.

She said government relies heavily on them to advise on policy and manage the policy development process while the administration looks to them to provide leadership and enhance coordination at the centre and across government to serve the citizens and deliver the mandate of the governments of today.

"The value of progressive public organizations today is about service not bureaucracy….I hope this gathering provides you with an opportunity to network with each other, share experiences, learn from the issues and challenges that others have faced and reflect on progress made to develop a fit approach that can help you meet your goals and deliver on your government’s vision."

She said the intention of the forum is that participants come away with an agreed plan of action that the forum will ensure is implemented across the region.

Lessons to be learned

The Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano said efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, accountability, transparency, partnership with the private sector and empowering the community had become the basis of improved government administration and service delivery of public service.

He said reforming government administrations goes as far as emphasising a smaller but efficient government that involves the private sector through corporatisation and the privatisation of public service, doing more with less resources.

"It is clear that central agencies like the Prime Minister's office, the Ministry of Finance, Public Service Commission, the Audit Department with the Revenue and Customs are the trialist of government's reform. 

"They must embark on providing good leadership in order to move forward with reform and improvements required to make sure that the government and the public service deliver to the expectation of the public… still there are lessons to be learned, that is why we are here," said the Prime Minister.