A word from the Chairperson, Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, DNZM
Talofa lava and welcome to the final issue of the Pacific Public Service Commissioners’ newsletter for 2020, supported by the Public Service Fale.
In the first newsletter, in June, I noted that the COVID-19 global pandemic is leading us into uncharted waters and that our aim is to navigate our way through this challenge together. It is encouraging to see you all leading the way and the progress we have made. Your service and your leadership throughout 2020 have ensured that we have maintained a steady course and our citizens’ wellbeing has remained the top priority.
It has been great working together in webinars, workshops and 1:1 meetings designed to strengthen our relationships and build capacity across the region. Whilst the last few months have been busy, I believe that we have made steady progress.
In the September newsletter we introduced Tania Ott, our new Deputy Commissioner, Public Service Fale. Many of you have now met Tania. She has set the scene for a great year ahead in 2021 by launching your webinar series and equipping the Public Service Fale team with their work programme and Charter to serve you. Tania’s update provides more detail on the work of the Fale.
One of my highlights this year is being able to participate in the second webinar, Working with Ministers and Political Neutrality. Being able to share my experience as a government Minister was humbling. Thank you for your positive feedback and for sharing your learnings and experiences with each other. For those who are interested, the team has published my talanoa on their website, the link is: Luamanuvao speech for webinar on political neutrality
Congratulations to Peter Hughes, New Zealand’s Public Service Commissioner, on his reappointment to Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission. We are honoured to have his strong leadership to implement Government’s priorities, including the ongoing response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to Peter Hughes, for his ongoing support of the Public Service Fale. I look forward to us continuing to work together as we serve our Pacific Public Service Commissioners in the future.
Thanks also to Tania Ott and her team for serving us all and for facilitating support to achieve your goals and strengthen your public services for your citizens.
I also want to personally thank each of you for supporting me in my role as Chairperson. Fa’afetai tele lava.
The strength and resilience that has got us through the pandemic, will help us continue our collective task of strengthening our public services.
I will be spending Christmas at home with family and look forward to a good rest.
Enjoy your time with your family as you celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
Manuia lava le Kirisimasi ma le Tausaga Fou.
Hon Luamanuavao Dame Winnie Laban
Chairperson Public Service Working Group
Update from the Deputy Commissioner, Tania Ott
Thank you for the opportunity to provide an update on the work we are doing in the Public Service Fale to serve you.
First and foremost, I want to congratulate our Chair on her wonderful lifetime achievement award. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie is an inspiration to me, women across the Pacific region, and globally. We have a lovely piece in the newsletter this month reflecting on Luamanuvao’s award and sincere congratulations from us all.
Since starting in August this year, I have been focussed on setting up the Fale. We have now established our vision, mission, strategy and developed a work programme for 2020/2021 with the priorities based on the needs and requirements of the Pacific Public Service Commissioners.
I am also pleased to let you know that we have finalised a Public Service Fale Charter that will guide us on our journey as we serve you over the coming years. You can find the Charter on our website, here is the link.
These are all great milestones for the Public Service Fale and set us up for a busy 2021!
The Fale work programme reflects the priorities you have identified and the need to connect remotely at this time. The strategic priorities are:
- Digital Connectivity: to help connect Pacific Public Service Commissioners to maintain relationships and enable sharing and collaboration of information across the region.
- Leadership Development: to strengthen leadership, systems and processes to achieve more effective, efficient, and responsive public services.
- Strengthening Governance: to support public service leaders enhance transparency, public trust, and accountability.
We have also completed our Fale risk and assurance framework, and monitoring and evaluation framework in collaboration with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Following the valuable discussions Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, Peter Hughes and I have been having with you throughout the year, we have developed insights to your needs and priorities. We have been responding, following up and sharing information through a series of webinars and workshops.
We launched the Pacific Public Service Commissioners Webinar series in September with the Public Service Act 2020 webinar. In October, we held the Working with Ministers and Political Neutrality, and the third webinar for 2020 in November, was about Merit Based Recruitment and Appointments, and was led by Samoa and Fiji.
We are thankful for your feedback which improved things along the way. We listened and were able to provide more time for talanoa and sent presentations out prior to the webinar. The “Merit Based Recruitment and Appointments” webinar was a great example of Pacific-led webinars and their value. We want to continue to share Pacific expertise and experience through workshops and webinars and aim to build this part of our programme next year.
To our presenters in all three webinars, fa’afetai lava. These are great milestones for the work you have initiated in our 1:1s over the year.
The new year is looking to be busy and the team and I look forward to working closely with you on progressing your priorities, opportunities to learn and share through webinars and workshops and some key events, AGM and Fono.
I am encouraging all Public Service Fale staff to ensure they are well rested and spend time with their families during the Christmas New Year break.
I hope you and your families will have a blessed Christmas and New Year.
Christmas for me means I will be with my extended family in New Zealand. I am very grateful that in Aotearoa New Zealand this year we have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic with much success, and so many of us can be together with our families, whanau, aiga and friends. My thoughts and prayers are with those who cannot be with their loved ones at Christmas and I am very grateful for my many blessings.
Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete me te Tau Hau - Greetings for Christmas and the New Year.
Tania Ott
Deputy Commissioner
Public Service Fale
Spirit of Service
Public Service Day in Samoa – story first published in the Samoa Observer
On the second of October, the Samoa Public Service Commission, government Ministries and citizens celebrated Public Service Day.
Public Service Commission Chair Aiono Mose Sua said that Public Service Day celebrates government ministries, organisations and management and the important of public servants and their service and contribution for the benefit of Samoa and its people.
Chair Aiono spoke with Samoa Observer about the celebrations.
All photos credit to: Aufa'i Areta Areta
Various Divisions under Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure
pose for a group photo in their well decorated booth
Public Service Day was well celebrated by Ministry of Work, Transport and Infrastructure
Public Service Day and Spirit of Service Awards in Aotearoa
Public Service Day in Aotearoa is about celebrating a special day in the history of New Zealand’s Public Service.
It was the 7th of November 1912 when the first Public Service Act became law, establishing a professional and impartial public service in New Zealand.
It’s the one day of the year we get to reflect on what it means to be a public servant, and to remind ourselves that New Zealand has a public service that values neutrality, fairness and integrity - a public service we can all be proud of.
The New Zealand team also celebrated exceptional public servants who have given meritorious service.
In the Public Service Day clip below, award recipients speak about spirt of service and what it means to them.
Webinar Series 2020 and Samoa Workshops
Public Service Commission Samoa, Mr Jason Hisatake, Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Ms Salilo Margraff, Assistant Chief Executive Human Resource Management
The Pacific Public Service Commissioners webinar series 2020 has been a great success.
Three webinar sessions were held before the end of the year and each time we were provided feedback to ensure we were continuing to better each one held.
The final session was on Merit Based Recruitment and Appointments with great engagement during the talanoa session and with around 100 participants online.
The session was led by the Public Service Commission teams in Samoa and Fiji with presentations from:
- Mr Jason Hisatake, Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Senior Executive Services, Samoa Public Service Commission
- Ms Salilo Margraff, Assistant Chief Executive Human Resource Management, Samoa Public Service Commission
- Ms Susan Kiran, Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service of Fiji and Secretary to Cabinet.
We chatted with Jason Hisatake who shared some reflections from Samoa’s perspective.
“The feedback has been positive in terms of the learning from other countries,” says Jason.
Although, Jason and the team played a huge part in leading the webinar, they also took away some of their own learnings.
“It is encouraging to learn from the discussions that Merit-Based Recruitment is something all participants agree on as best practice for recruiting the right people, at the right time, to do the right job.
“The experience of Fiji with Recruitment and Open Merit mirrors our own systems in place and we learned a great deal from the webinar – and we are already discussing the take-aways from the session and how it may apply to our own context,” says Jason.
We asked Jason if there had been any further conversations had with other countries following the webinar. He says that since the webinar, Samoa has recently re-visited discussions on Recruitment and Selection for Chief Executives with the Public Service Fale and how it links to other HR aspects such as Performance Management.
“There is ongoing dialogue with the Fale to share views on the existing frameworks and how these can be fit into the Samoan HR landscape.
With Samoa leading the conversations, workshops have been organised with the Fale to continue the dialogue and learning. The first workshop was held on the 10th November with an informal meeting on the 20th November 2020.
Following the webinar series and specific workshops for Samoa, Jason is very keen for more opportunities for countries to share their frameworks.
“I would like for a workshop to take place and allow more time and opportunities for other members [countries] to share their own frameworks. Ideally, we would like an information portal or dispensary to share all our HR frameworks, policies and developments more freely,” says Jason.
Photos of the three webinars
Tonga Public Service Commission Team
Tonga Public Service Commission Team
Public Service Fale & Public Service Commission – Wellington
Public Service Commission Samoa
Closing Prayer
Tania Ott, Laulu Mac Leauanae ,Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, Peter Hughes
Around the Region
Samoa
The Cabinet Development Committee visited Savai’i in October - story first published in the Samoa Observer
Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Women Community and Social Development, Tuitama Dr Leao Tuitama, led a delegation to Savai’i to inspect various Government-funded projects.
Full story link here.
Acting Prime Minister Tuitama Dr Leao Tuitama
Tonga
World Teacher’s Day – a piece by the Public Service Commission Tonga
The Public Service Commission in Tonga held several events to celebrate their teachers on World Teacher’s Day on 2 October, 2020.
Here is a wonderful piece from their team honouring their teachers and photos of their event.
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Every year, World Teachers’ Day reminds us of the critical role teachers play in achieving inclusive, quality education for all.
This year’s World Teachers’ Day has an even greater significance in light of the challenges that teachers have faced during the COVID-19 crisis. As the pandemic has shown, they make a crucial contribution to ensuring continuity of learning and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their students. Because of COVID-19, nearly 1.6 billion learners – more than 90% of the world’s total enrolled student population – have been affected by school closures.
The COVID-19 crisis has also affected over 63 million teachers, highlighted persistent weaknesses in many education systems and exacerbated inequalities, with devastating consequences for the most marginalised. In this crisis, teachers have shown, as they have done so often, great leadership and innovation in ensuring that #LearningNeverStops, that no learner is left behind.
Around the world, they have worked individually and collectively to find solutions and create new learning environments for their students to allow education to continue. Their role advising on school reopening plans and supporting students with the return to school is just as important. We now need to think beyond COVID-19 and work to build greater resilience in our education systems, so we can respond quickly and effectively to these and other such crises. This means protecting education financing, investing in high-quality initial teacher education, as well as continuing the professional development of the existing teacher workforce.
Without urgent action and increased investment, a learning crisis could turn into a learning catastrophe. Even before COVID-19, more than half of all ten-year-olds in low- to middle-income countries could not understand a simple written story. To build a more resilient teacher workforce in times of crisis, all teachers should be equipped with digital and pedagogical skills to teach remotely, online, and through blended or hybrid learning, whether in high-, low- or no-tech environments.
Governments should ensure the availability of digital infrastructure and connectivity everywhere, including in rural and remote areas. In the context of COVID-19, governments, social partners and other key actors have an even greater responsibility regarding teachers. We call on governments to protect teachers’ safety, health, and wellbeing, as well as their employment, to continue improving teachers’ working conditions, and to involve teachers and their representative organizations in the COVID-19 educational response and recovery.
Today, we collectively celebrate teachers for their continued commitment to their students and for contributing to the achievement of the 2030 targets under Sustainable Development Goal 4.
We commend educators for the central role they have played, and continue to play, in responding to and recovering from this pandemic. Now is the time to recognize the role of teachers in helping to ensure a generation of students can reach their full potential, and the importance of education for short-term stimulus, economic growth and social cohesion, during and after COVID-19. Now is the time to reimagine education and achieve our vision of equal access to quality learning for every child and young person.
Minister for MET Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni
Dr. Tangikina Steen, Chief Executive Ministry for Education and Training
New Caledonia
Pacific Data Hub Launch
Launched in December the Pacific Data Hub will fill data gaps in the Pacific and provide trusted and evidence-based information to decisions makers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand supported The Pacific Community [SPC] in creating the Pacific Data Hub.
SPC Director General Dr Stuart Minchin said “The Pacific Data Hub has been entirely created and developed in the Pacific, by the Pacific, with the guiding objective of improving the lives of the Pacific peoples. We’re excited about the launch and by what this will do for the Pacific well into the future,” he said.
Check out the full story and the website at the links below:
Website: Pacific Data Hub
News article: Pacific Data Hub to make data accessible for all | The Pacific Community (spc.int)
Facebook Live Launch: Facebook
Picture courtesy of Pacific Community [SPC]
Regional Websites
Here are a handful of regional websites that may be of interest.
If you have any you’d like to share, please send your links to publicservicefale@publicservice.govt.nz and we will ensure to share them.
Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police – working towards safe and secure communities for all Pacific Island countries.
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme is the regional organisation established by the Governments and Administrations of the Pacific charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources of the Pacific.
Oceania Customs Organisation Secretariat
Oceania Customs help administrations align with customs international standards and best practice, leading to greater economic prosperity and increased border security.
The Pacific Islands Forum is the region’s premier political and economic policy organisation.
The Forum’s Pacific Vision is for a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity, so that all Pacific people can lead free, healthy, and productive lives.
The Pacific Islands Forum works to achieve this by fostering cooperation between governments, collaboration with international agencies, and by representing the interests of its members.
Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network
The Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON) works to ensure a safe and secure Pacific by advancing key law and justice issues. PILON is an association of senior law officers from 19 Pacific Island countries and territories.
Christmas Message from Niue Public Service Commission
Niue Public Service Commission – Secretariat Office
Christmas in Niue is less about snow and sleigh bells and more about church and family. The Christmas holidays will normally be spent with family and loved ones, and the New Year will be devoted to a 7-day long prayer week – the Niue version of “Thanks Giving”.
The Niue Public Service Commission, along with the Secretariat Office, would like to end the year by extending a warm Fakaaue Lahi to the Public Service Fale and the team behind them for the engagement and work contributed during 2020. Some of the work we received support with over the year:
- Leadership Development Training
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Revision of the Manual of Instructions
- Online Webinars to promote knowledge sharing
- Revision of the Code of Conduct & Ethics
- Covid Plans
- National Awards
We look forward to more collaborative ventures in 2021!
Kia monuina e Kilisimasi mo e tau foou! We wish you a joyous Christmas celebration and a prosperous New Year!
Suefane Touna – Director Secretariat (left) and Rubeth Seumanu – Strategic Human Resource Manager (right) working together with the Public Service Fale to revise the Niue Public Service Manual of Instructions.
L to R: Victoria Posimani Kalauni (Commissioner), Ida Talagi-Hekesi (Chairperson), Sionetasi Pulehetoa (Commissioner)
Did You Know?
Public Service Commission team in Tonga
Did you know that the Public Service Commission, Tonga, has a Policy Tip for the Week on their Facebook page?
Great tips and inspiring messages.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS: Women of Influence Awards
Congratulations Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban [DNZM]
Fa’amalo atu i le Afioga ia Luamanuvao mo le taumafaiga ma le tauata’i!
Congratulations to our Chair, Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, on being presented with a lifetime achievement award for service to the Pacific community at the Women of Influence New Zealand awards in November 2020.
In 1999, Hon Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban became the first Pacific woman to be elected to the New Zealand Parliament. She was Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and Associate Minister of Social Development, Economic Development and Trade.
Dame Winnie resigned from Parliament in 2010 to take up her current role as Assistant Vice-Chancellor Vice-Chancellor [Pasifika]. In addition to being the Chair of the Public Service Fale Governance Group, she is also patron of the Wellington Pasifika Business Network and the Cancer Society Relay for Life; a Creative New Zealand Arts Council board member; and a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and the Council of the National University of Samoa. She is a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and was bestowed the Samoan chiefly title Luamanuvao.
Judges praised her decades of service for the Pacific community both in politics and at a grassroots level.
[Permission from Women of Influence to use article and photos]
Dates
Public Service Fale Closed
24 December – 8 January 2021
Public Service Fale Reopens 11 January 2021
PACIFIC KEY DATES 2021
January 2021
2 January Niue Takai Commission Holiday
11 January Federated States of Micronesia Constitution Day, Public Holiday
25 January Wellington Anniversary, Public Service Fale closed
26 January Australia Day, Public Holiday
31 January Nauru Independence Day
February
8 February NZ & Niue Waitangi Day, Public Holiday
21-22 Feb Vanuatu Father Water Lini Day, Public Holiday
March
1 March Marshall Islands Remembrance Day, Public Holiday
5 March Vanuatu Custom Chief’s Day, Public Holiday
8 March Kiribati International Women’s Day, Public Holiday
13 March Vanuatu Ascension Day, Public Holiday
15 March Palau Youth Day, Public Holiday
April EASTER
2 April Cook Islands Anzac Day, Public Holiday
8 April Kiribati National Health Day, Public Holiday
25 April Niue, Tonga, Australia, Anzac Day
26 April NZ Observes Anzac Day, Public Holiday
30 April Republic of the Marshall Islands, Public Holiday
May
NZ Rotuman Language Week
NZ Samoa Language Week
10 May Tokelau & Samoa Mothers’ Days, Public Holiday
24 May Solomon Islands Whit Monday, Public Holiday
June
1 June Samoa Independence Day, Public Holiday
7 June Tonga Emancipation Day, Public Holiday
7 June NZ Queen’s Birthday, Public Holiday
20 June Nauru World Refugee Day
July
NZ Matariki Week
2 July Republic of the Marshall Islands Fishermen’s Day, Public Holiday
5 July Tonga King Tupou VI’s Birthday, Public Holiday
7 July Solomon Islands Independence Day, Public Holiday
12 July Kiribati National Day, Public Holiday
14 July New Caledonia Bastille Day, Public Holiday
23 July Papua New Guinea National Remembrance Day, Public Holiday
30 July Vanuatu Independence Day, Public Holiday
August
NZ Cook Island Language Week
2 August Kiribati Youth Day, Public Holiday
4 August Cook Islands Constitution Day, Public Holiday
9 August Tokelau Fathers’ Day, Public Holiday
26 August Papua New Guinea Repentance Day, Public Holiday
September
NZ Tonga Language Week
3 September Tokelau Tokehega Day, Public Holiday
3 September Republic of the Marshall Islands Labour Day, Public Holiday
6 September Palau Labour Day, Public Holiday
7 September Fiji Constitution Day, Public Holiday
16 September Papua New Guinea Independence Day, Public Holiday
17 September Tonga Crown Prince’s Birthday, Public Holiday
24 September New Caledonia Day, Public Holiday
October
NZ Fiji Language Week
NZ Niue Language Week
NZ Tokelau Language Week
1 October Palau & Tuvalu Independence Day, Public Holiday
4 October Kiribati Education Day, Public Holiday
5 October Vanuatu Constitution Day, Public Holiday
10 October Tokelau White Sunday, Public Holiday
11 October Samoa White Sunday, Public Holiday
19 October Niue Constitution Day, Public Holiday
25 October Federated States of Micronesia United Nations Day, Public Holiday
25 October Palau United Nations Day, Public Holiday
25 October NZ Labour Day, Public Holiday
26 October Nauru Angam Day, Public Holiday
26 October Cook Islands Gospel Day, Public Holiday
November
NZ Public Service Day
3 November Federated States of Micronesia Independence Day, Public Holiday
4 November Fiji Diwali Day, Public Holiday
4 November Tonga National Day, Public Holiday
11 November Federated States of Micronesia Veterans Day, Public Holiday
11 November New Caledonia Armistice Day, Public Holiday
17 November Republic of the Marshall Islands Presidents’ Day, Public Holiday
29 November Vanuatu National Unity Day, Public Holiday
December CHRISTMAS
3 December Republic of the Marshall Islands Gospel Day, Public Holiday
