Mr. Apeo Fuata Sione was sworn in yesterday as Chairman of the Public Services Commission (PSC) in Papua New Guinea for a second term in office.
The swearing-in was held at Government House. It was officiated by Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae.
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The ceremony indicated his officially starting his new term yesterday. His reappointment shows confidence in his leadership of a key constitutional body.
The new term will focus on strengthening the Commission’s constitutional role and advancing public sector reform.
Mr. Sione was first appointed chairman on 24th April 2020. Before that, he served five years as National Statistician.
He started that role on 2nd May 2012. His first term as Chairman ended on 31st March 2026.
The PSC Appointments Committee then reappointed him for five more years.
In total, Mr. Sione has served 14 years as a Constitutional Office Holder. He has over 20 years of experience in the National Public Service.
Moreover, he has held senior roles in the PSC, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Ombudsman Commission.
Mr. Sione said the PSC has kept working despite operational and resource limits.
“The Commission has continued to ensure fairness, transparency, and merit-based decisions across the public service,” he said.
Moreover, Mr. Sione said that the past year, the PSC maintained its core work. This includes reviewing personnel matters, assessing senior appointments on merit, and advising government. It also cut case backlogs, improved review processes, and expanded its reach.
This included opening the Highlands Regional Office.
Mr. Sione named key challenges facing the Commission. These include funding limits, delays in government warrants, staff capacity gaps, and logistical problems across the country.
These issues have slowed operations. They have delayed case processing. They have limited digital transformation work. He said wider problems like poor public sector performance, politicization, and corruption also add pressure to oversight bodies like the PSC.
Mr. Sione said his second term will focus on reform and transformation. This will follow the PSC Corporate Plan 2024–2028.
The plan gives a clear roadmap for the next five years.
It sets out reforms to modernize the Commission. It aims to strengthen the PSC’s ability to meet its constitutional duties. Key steps include digital transformation, stronger governance, better merit-based systems, faster case management, and wider regional access.
He said the reform agenda aims to make the PSC a leading institution of integrity and oversight.
The Commission will keep four core principles. These are merit-based and transparent decisions, stronger accountability and integrity, constitutional independence, and better public service performance.
He said, “Merit will always guide our decisions, nothing else.” He added, “No one is above the law. We will enforce accountability fairly.”
He also said, “Our independence is not negotiable. It is constitutional.”
Mr. Sione outlined a five-year vision.
He wants the PSC to become modern, efficient, and trusted. It will set the standard for ethical leadership and good governance in public service.
The vision includes cutting case backlogs, speeding up decisions, fully digitizing operations, building staff capacity, and working closer with other agencies.
It also aims to restore public confidence in the fairness of public service processes. The PSC will ensure appointments, promotions, and disciplinary actions are applied consistently at all levels.
He said, “This second term is about consolidating our achievements, confronting our challenges head-on, and transforming the Commission into a stronger, more effective institution that delivers real results for the people of Papua New Guinea.
“Our goal is clear: to build a public service that is professional, accountable, and trusted,” Mr. Sione said.
Mr. Sione said the PSC’s main purpose is to ensure the public service improves the lives of citizens. Strong leadership, fair systems, and accountable institutions are key to better service in health, education, and provincial administration.
He said rebuilding public trust is central to the Commission’s work. He added, “We are here to rebuild trust through action, not just words.”
In closing, Chairman Sione called on all public servants to uphold professionalism, integrity, and commitment. He said building a stronger public service is the duty of all leaders and officers across government.
He said, “Together, we must build a public service that is fair, accountable, and responsive to the needs of our people”