Malaita Province Premier Martin Fini
A team from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) are in Auki, Malaita Province to conduct refresher training for seconded fisheries officers attached to the provincial government.
Led by the MFMR Human Resources Manager Mr. Hubert Gua, the team got down to business immediately after arriving at Auki on Monday 20th June 2023 by paying courtesy call to Malaita Premier Martin Fini to explain to him the purpose of their visit.
During the meeting, Mr. Gua informed Premier Martin Fini the purpose of the visit and assured him that the refresher training is for all seconded officers working with the provincial government including fisheries officers
“The primary objective of the program is to strengthen the connection between provincial officers and the main office in Honiara,” said Mr. Gua.
He stressed that one of the key focuses of the refresher training is to provide the officers with a better understanding of the process of completing Performance Management Process (PMP) forms.
Mr. Gua stated, “We believe this refresher workshop will establish a link between those of us at the head office and our staff working in the province, addressing their welfare and reminding them of our expectations, as well as those of the province, especially in terms of service delivery.”
The comprehensive three-day training program included modules on performance management, code of conduct, attendance management, and basic media training for the participants. This refresher training was initially conducted exclusively for Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources staff in the Western Province in April 2023, and Malaita Province became the second province to benefit from it.
Mr. Gua expressed his enthusiasm for extending the opportunity to participate in the training program to seconded officers from other ministries in Malaita Province. The idea of accepting invitation from seconded officers emerged from the experience when the MFMR team conducted the refresher training at Noro, when there was increase request and interest made by seconded staff from other government ministries and agencies base at Noro. He also revealed plans to replicate this program in Makira, Choiseul, and Temotu provinces, targeting not only fisheries officers but also other seconded officers working in those regions.
Another crucial aspect highlighted by Mr. Gua was the process of reporting situations where an officer fails to meet the expectations of the host province. The purpose of the visit was to inform the premier about this process and ensure the welfare of the officers involved.
Premier Martin Fini of Malaita Province warmly welcomed the MFMR team and expressed gratitude for their courtesy call. Drawing on his own experience as a former public servant, he assured them of his familiarity with the processes and procedures for dealing with government employees and their conduct.
Premier Fini stressed the importance of the refresher training, especially for officers who did not receive training at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM). He acknowledged the significant impact this program would have on their work and thanked the Ministry of Fisheries for conducting the training in Auki.
The visit to Malaita Province was made possible through funding from the World Bank under the PROPER Project with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. The training program is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.
ENDS//
– MFMR PRESS RELEASE
