Elias Kapavore

This is to ensure that medicines are in stock at the five Area Medical Stores and 15 Provincial Transit Medical Stores throughout the country.

The National Executive Council recently approved two contracts for the supply of health centre and aid post kits and also for the supply of antibiotic drugs.

Medical kits for health centres and aid posts are being packed in Port Moresby and will be transported to seven ports in PNG before the end of August 2019.

Health and HIV/AIDS Minister, Elias Kapavore, gave the assurance during a surprise visit to Laloki on Monday.

Kapavore, with Sir John Cardinal Ribat, who is also the chairman of the Mental Health Board, paid the staff of Laloki Psychiatric Hospital a surprise visit on the 29^th of July, where he announced their new acting CEO in Dr Losavati Daugunu.

Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS, Elias Kapavore, made this undertaking on the floor of Parliament yesterday (July 4).

Central Province is the only province in the country that does not have a provincial hospital.

Governor Robert Agarobe raised this concern in Parliament, calling on the Government to deliver on its commitments to the people of Central Province.

Kapavore, who is also the Pomio MP, said he is content with the role he is currently playing and pledged his loyalty to serve the current government.

He told this newsroom that there are many issues affecting the service delivery systems and should be addressed seriously.

Minister Kapavore further said apart from the Waigani politics, his people deserve his commitment and service to them.

It was alleged on social media that Minister for Planning Richard Maru orchestrated the appointment by appointing a candidate not in the top three list of candidates.

When contacted by this newsroom, Maru said the selections of the appointment of the Secretary for Agriculture were done by the Department of Public Services. He added that he had nothing to do with the appointment.

Minister Kapavore has also lashed out at critics on social media, urging them to refrain from issuing misleading information.

The MOU was signed on September 13^th between Elias Kapavore and the United Nations Development Programme.

With the MOU communities who are part of the Tavolo Wildlife Management Area, are now pioneering a new business venture that will see high quality cocoa exported directly to Japan.

Communities in Pomio district produce large amounts of cocoa but are isolated and lack access to transport infrastructure making it difficult to supply their products to international markets.

He said this when calling Provincial Administrations and Open MP’s to follow legislation when appointing District Administrators.

Kapavore said he has received letters of complaints from Open MP’s regarding the manner in which some of their District Administrators were treated by Provincial Administrators.

Usino-Bundi MP, Jimmy Uguro, sought clarification from Minister Kapavore on the process of appointing District Administrators.

He said in some cases Provincial Administrators were appointing District Administrators without consultation with Open MP’s

Elias Kapavore says no bribery or foul play will be involved.

Minister Kapavore, when responding to Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu, said the department has and will always maintain the integrity of the selection process of the departmental heads and will not entertain corruption as long as he remains the Minister.

He clarified that under the Public Service Act, provincial executive councils are required to submit three names of applicants to the National Executive Council (NEC) for deliberation on the position of the provincial administrator.

Minister for Public Service, Elias Kapavore, said there are about 915,000 public servants of which over 6,000 are unattached to positions that are still being paid by the government.

“This is costing K190 million each year and 6 to 7 million Kina every fortnight,” he said.

Minister Kapavore challenged heads of departments to deal with the matter respectively in each department before even thinking about recruiting new staff as well as requesting for new resources.

Minister for Public Service, Elias Kapavore, made the announcement after being asked by Usino Bundi MP for confirmation of the appointment.

Kapavore said the National Executive Council have appointed Bivi to be acting after Danny Aloi was suspended by the Provincial Executive Council pending investigation of allegations laid against him.

He called on the public servants and the people of Madang to abide by the NEC decision and work with Mr Bivi.

He said there is only one administrator and it is John Bivi and not Aloi.