BY ESWIN PLESIO
PAPUA New Guinea does not need more policies. It needs to ensure the policies already in place are properly implemented and translated into services for the people they are meant to serve.
That was the message from the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC), which says poor implementation and service delivery remain among the country’s biggest development challenges.
CIMC made the comments during a Media Appreciation Luncheon at the Crown Hotel in Port Moresby on Friday, 14 August, where it thanked the media for its continued coverage of development issues and the council’s work.
Speaking on behalf of CIMC Executive Officer, Gretel Matawan, Senior Project Officer for the Governance and Service Delivery Sectoral Committee and coordinator of the 2026 National Development Forum, said communities had been clear during recent regional development forums held across the country.
“Our people are not asking for more policies. Papua New Guinea already has strong national policies. What we lack is action,” she said.
Matawan said the focus must now be on ensuring policies are translated into practical services and measurable outcomes that people can see and feel in their communities.
“Our focus now must shift entirely towards transforming these high-level policies into practical, measurable implementation on the ground, where it matters the most,” she said.
The issue will be a key focus of the 2026 National Development Forum, scheduled for August 25 and August 27 to 28 under the theme, “Unpacking the Reset at 50 Agenda.”
The forum will examine the country’s past development performance, ongoing service delivery challenges and ways to improve policy implementation over the next 50 years.
It will bring together representatives from government, the private sector, civil society and communities to discuss the country’s development priorities.
CIMC also recognised the media’s role in ensuring community concerns reach decision-makers.
“The media is far more than a source of news. You are the essential bridge that connects our grassroots communities, civil society and policymakers,” Matawan said.
She urged journalists to continue providing fair and evidence-based reporting before, during and after the forum. “Let us work together to shape the narrative for the next 50 years,” she said.