The Department of Personnel Management has confirmed K86. 5million has been paid to retire aging public servants this year. Secretary Department of Personnel Management Ms. Taies Sansan revealed at the farewell reception for 6 Department of NEC Officers on Thursday 23rd December) that the government funding for this year’s retirees totalled 86.5 million kina. Department of Personnel Management who is coordinating the exercise successfully completed the retirement exercise for 2021. Secretary Sansan said, the funds were paid out in 4 batches which totalled 1, 343 public servants. The 4th and the last batch of retirees for the exercise this year will be paid out on Pay 1 of 2022. The retirement exercise saw the payout of retired public servants for 2021as follows; BATCH          No. Of Agencies              No. of officers          Total            Pay # 1                   6                                      37                             2.9m            17 2                   12                                    318                           25.7m          20 3                   30                                    341                           17m             26 4                   34                                    647                           41m             Pay 1/2022 TOTAL 1, 343 K86.5m “This is another achievement for this government in terms of ensuring that normal exit of public servants is being honoured. I wish to thank the government for its continued commitment in 2022 where K200million has been allocated in next year’s budget to payout the next lot of retirees”. Secretary Sansan who thanked the 6 PMNEC retirees for their services and loyalty to the state, encouraged them to use their well-earned entitlements properly with their families. “Life outside of the public service will be challenging if you are not prepared whilst you are still in the service”. Secretary Sansan also used the occasion to challenge new recruits who enter the public service to be prepared from the start of their public service life and prepare themselves for exit by indulging in a savings culture. “The Public Service is a good place to be. The government is the largest employer and let’s give back through our service to the state and for us to be honest in the way we deal with government business. Let us be responsible public servants”. Secretary Sansan would also like to acknowledge the Prime Minister Hon. James Marape for his government’s continued commitment to the retirement exercise. Ms. Sansan also acknowledged the Public Service Minister Hon. Joe Sungi for his ministerial support to her department on this very important policy initiative. She also took time to acknowledge PMNEC Secretary Ivan Pomaleu for his overall leadership to the public service machinery at the bureaucratic level throughout the year.