Leader of the Independent Group, Manasseh Maelanga, has called for strong safeguards to ensure neutrality, accountability, and implementation capacity within the Public Service.
Maelanga, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Malaita, made the call during the debate on the Public Service Bill 2025 in Parliament on Wednesday.
He said only with such safeguards will the reform move beyond being “just another law” to becoming a real instrument of national transformation.
On political neutrality, Maelanga stressed that the independence and professionalism of the Public Service must remain a sacred principle.
“Too often, public officers are caught between political interests and their duty to the State.
“This Bill must therefore guarantee that appointments, promotions, and disciplinary processes are based strictly on merit—not on political or personal favour,” he said.
“If we fail to safeguard neutrality, we risk turning our service into a political extension of the government of the day, and that would be a serious setback,” he added.
On accountability and performance, the Independent Leader said that while the Bill introduces mechanisms for performance management, these must be realistic, transparent, and fairly applied.
“Accountability must begin at the top—with Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments.
“The Public Service cannot be transformed if leadership itself is not held to account for poor performance, delays, or misuse of public funds,” he said.
On capacity and implementation, Maelanga said reform on paper is one thing, but implementation is another.
He noted that while the Bill is ambitious, ministries must have the capacity, resources, and training to implement its provisions effectively.
“Otherwise, we risk having a good law that achieves little in practice,” he said.
Maelanga concluded that the Bill must be about restoring trust—between the public and their government, between officers and their leaders, and between policy and delivery.
He said the people of Solomon Islands deserve a Public Service that is not only efficient, but also ethical, transparent, and people-centred.
Debate on the Bill continues at 9.30am today.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
