SANSAN URGED GRADUATES TO LEAD, SERVE & INSPIRE
Speaking on behalf of the SILAG Governing Board, Chairlady and DPM Secretary Taise Sansan said that she was proud to be here at the Somare Institute of Leadership and Governance to mark this significant occasion—SILAG’s 3rd Graduation.
Sansan said this graduation does not only celebrates your achievements but also highlights SILAG’s enduring commitment to leadership excellence in Papua New Guinea.
“For 71 years, SILAG has trained public servants, standing as a foundation of governance long before Papua New Guinea attained independence. Its legacy is one of dedication, transformation, and nation-building. It is fitting that today’s graduation occurs as PNG commemorates its 50th anniversary, reinforcing the deep-rooted connection between SILAG’s mission and our nation’s progress,” said Sansan.
“This beautiful campus, enhanced through infrastructure rehabilitation and facility upgrades, reflects our aspirations—to provide a dynamic learning environment that fosters innovation, critical thinking, and leadership. SILAG has been working with clear purpose, and recent reports affirm its strong trajectory, its impact on public sector leadership, and the confidence it inspires in national governance.
“We acknowledge the government’s vision and the steadfast support of the Public Service MinisterJoe Sungi, who continues to champion leadership excellence and institutional transformation.
She said that under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer Michael Barobe and with the unwavering dedication of the institutes management team and staff, we are breaking new grounds—developing advanced leadership programs, forming strategic partnerships across PNG and the Pacific, progressing legislative amendments to make public sector training mandatory, and laying the foundation for our transition into a public sector university by 2027 – that is our aim and we are working tirelessly to achieve that goal.
The institutes journey has embodied the Bully Beef ideals—resilience, resourcefulness, and unity—that defined the leaders who paved the way for our independence.
These principles remain at the heart of our mission, ensuring that governance in PNG is built on strength, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to service.
“Our focus is “service to the state” – borrowed from NZ’s Public Service Act 2020 and will be used in our new Public Services (Management) Act once the review is completed.
“It means, as public servants, our purpose must be clear from the start of entry into civil service, and that is to deliver to our people and offering that service to the state which becomes primary over all matters.
Graduates, today you inherit a responsibility far greater than yourselves. You are the leaders who will shape Papua New Guinea’s next 50 years, carrying forward SILAG’s legacy of excellence and integrity.
Sansan said that the Board stood behind the public servants, confident in their ability to serve, lead, and inspire change.
“On behalf of the SILAG Governing Board, I congratulate each of you as you graduate today,” She said.
“It is a memorable occasion. You will receive your Certificates/Diplomas etc, but making an impact in the real world including your family, your workplace, your Province and your country is a challenge that must be achieved by yourself individually with the support of those around you, so go forth and lead with distinction, ensuring that service to the state must come first.