The Department of Finance just recently launched its three new digital systems that will further enhance its service to the people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) as the country marks is 50th Independence Anniversary. The new systems are the official Finance Department Website along with the online Blended Learning System and the Document Management System (DMS). The official website houses these two systems. The DMS enhances a paperless process that is secure and efficient. Its key features are a centralized repository for financial reports, policies and official records, advance research and retrieval for quick access to critical documents, and some of those include access control ensuring data security and confidential, and audit trails to track history and modification. The online Blended Learning System enhances learning capacity and ensures continuous professional development across public services. It provides online training and certification of all department of finance staff, interactive courses on public finance management, compliance and public sector reforms, self-pace leaning with progress tracking and automated assessment and grading and secure access for authorize personnel. Speaking at the launching of the digital systems at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby city of Friday 20th June, the Department of Finance Deputy Secretary Operations, Mr. Stephen Nukuitu said the launching is a milestone achievement for the department’s journey towards digital transformation and improved service delivery. “These tools are not just systems, they represent the cultural shift in how we work, learn and serve. With the new website, we will improve how we communicate with the public stakeholders and shareholders,” he said. He also said the theme of the official launching of the three systems, “Digitalize, Learn, Transform: Advancing Finance for Tomorrow”, capture their shared vision. “It is a call to embrace innovation, build capacity and future systems in service of stronger, smarter government,” said Mr. Nukuitu. The Deputy Secretary Support Services, Margaret Tenakanai said the launch is part of a journey towards a digitally enabled public service in aligning with PNG E- Government policy and broader digital agenda that was part of the greater agenda and derived from the department of Finance Corporate Plan 2023 to 2027, which was recently launched this year. She said these developments are in full alignment with the National Government Medium Term Development Plan IV (MTDP 4) 2023 to 2027 that has institutional effectiveness and service delivery which emphasize digital transformation as a critical enabler of government efficiency. Moreover, she said these digital initiatives are underpinned by key legislative frameworks including the digital government act 2022, which provides framework for digitalizing government services and information. The national ICT policy which outlines strategies for e- government and digital inclusion and of course, the Public Finance Management act 2016 which promotes efficient use of public resources and timely reporting. “As we move forward, we committing that these systems are secure, accessible and continuously improved to meet the evolving needs of our people,” said Tenakanai, adding that the launch is a reflection of the department to modernize and innovate. “These systems are the foundations of a broader digital transformation agenda that will not only improve the way we work, but also the way we serve, advancing governance through technology." "The government of PNG recognizes that to deliver better services, we must modernize how we work, how we communicate and how we engage with our citizens and stakeholders.” Deputy Secretary Operations Mr. Nukuitu thanked the department’s inhouse team involved the development of the new online systems. “Your efforts today will shape a better tomorrow for finance and nation,” he said. Meanwhile, the official launching of the three new online systems was done with a push of a button by the new Finance Minister, Thomas Opa, who was there to witness the significant event.