Minister clarifies appointment process

Public Service Minister, Soroi Eoe, has clarified that the Department of Personnel Management is not the appointing authority for provincial administrators.

DPM is only responsible for the facilitation of the process of appointments.

Minister Eoe said this in response to media reports claiming DPM overlooked appointing a permanent Provincial Administrator for Jiwaka Province and brought back a former retired administrator.

To correct the claims made in the media, the following facts are provided:

  1. The Department of Personnel Management is not the appointing authority for provincial administrators. The Department is only responsible for receiving for advertised positions, coordinating the assessment and screening process which is based on the merit-based process and involves other stakeholders in the Central Agencies Coordinating Committee and the Public Service Commission.
  2. The claim that DPM has brought back retired former Administrator Michael Wandil is not justified. DPM only plays the role of facilitating recommendations from the Provincial Executive Council. This process is in accordance with section 132 (2) of the constitution and section 60 of the Public Service Management Act (as amended).
  3. The Acting appointment of Stephan Wusik in the role since 27th August 2019 remains current until the 11th of August and was made based on recommendation by the PEC. DPM has only facilitated the extension in consultation with PSC.

Minister Eoe says the Department of Personnel Management is currently implementing the Performance Management System (PMS) to substantive department heads, provincial administrators and heads of statutory bodies.

The department is also working on a retirement exercise and the claim of over age public servants is being addressed through this process.

“This PMS process is lengthy and involves the input from respective governors who assess provincial administrators on their Key Result Areas on their key deliverables, which applies to those in an acting role.

“Department of Personnel Management as a facilitator of the appointments process has systems, processes and procedures to follow.”

The Public Service Minister has called on public servants to refrain from taking to the media to discuss issues that can be addressed internally.

“Public servants take an oath to serve as public servants and I urge them to adhere to the core values of responsibility and accountability to bring forth issues as this is outlined in the vision and mission of the Public Service.”

Author: 
Press release