New look Central Government Office complex opens for business

It is this Governments intention to accommodate government departments in its own buildings in order to improve communication and coordination between government departments to improve performance and productivity and save cost.”

This was the remark made by the Secretary for the Department of Personnel Management, Mr John Kali during the grand opening of the New look redeveloped Central Government Office Complex at Waigani this afternoon.

Only after 23 years of its construction the building was condemned as being unfit for occupancy and by 1998 al the department and agencies housed in the building had to be moved to alternate office spaces and scattered in the city. But the government felt obliged to restore the buildings image and put back the Departments and agencies under one roof to bring back public confidence.

“This kind of investment gives confidence in potential investors to come and do business in the country and also shows that the country is moving forward. We must not only look at creating new things but also try to preserve buildings such as this that has been part of the country’s history,” says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill when officiating at the opening.

While congratulating the Department of Personnel Management for making this a reality, Prime Minister O’Neill also urged the Departments and agencies especially the public servants that will be using the building to take ownership and look after the building and strongly discouraged practises and behaviours that are unfit to be entertained in the new office complex.

The office complex was build at and approximate cost of K230.5million by Central Lands Limited and will save immediate cost of around K15million from rentals with more savings to follow in the years to come as more government departments return to the fold.

The Departments that will be housed in the new look complex are Department of Foreign Affairs, Immigration Services and Citizen Authority, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Community Based Corrections of the Department of Justice and Attorney General and the Department of Personnel Management. PNGFM / PNG Today