Opposition Leader James Nomane has issued a strong call for Papua New Guinea to dismantle the culture of "PNG Time"—a chronic pattern of lateness and delay—and urgently adopt accountability and efficiency across all government sectors and national institutions.

He argues that persistent delays and poor service delivery should not be accepted as part of PNG’s culture and points to common experiences ranging from patients waiting for care in hospital corridors and business owners repeatedly following up government services, to travelers facing flight delays.

Nomane acknowledged the work of nurses, teachers, police officers and public servants who continue to serve despite limited resources and delayed payments.

“Mediocrity punishes the dedicated first.”

He refences a recent LinkedIn commentary by Steve Morrish, Deputy Executive Director for Investigations, Intelligence, Assessments and Forensics at the PNG Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Air Niugini, arguing that delays and poor customer service are not limited to the public sector and can also affect private and state-owned organisations.

“The rot is no longer confined to Waigani.”

It further raises concerns about governance, money laundering, corruption, public-sector accountability, healthcare, electricity supply, medicine shortages and delays in processing government services.

He cites Papua New Guinea’s grey-listing by the Financial Action Task Force in February 2026 and references findings from the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering’s 2024 Mutual Evaluation.

Additionally, Nomane references the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators and organizational change research by John Kotter, alongside management principles associated with Peter Drucker, to argue that institutions need a stronger sense of urgency and clearer focus on results.

He urged the Government to publish the names of suspended or sidelined departmental heads, the reasons for their removal and the substantive replacements appointed to their positions.

“Endless acting appointments mean authority without accountability, positions without performance, and salaries without results.”

Nomane called on departmental secretaries, chief executives and boards to lead by example, measure service delivery and address persistent delays.

 “That is not a dream. It is basic management.”

“PNG Time is not culture. It is complacency. And complacency is a leadership choice.”