The Department of Personnel Management (DPM) is yet to confirm the total number of government employees who have resigned to contest the 2017 National General Elections.
“The records from departments and provincial administrations haven’t been sent to me yet. Only a few and (it will) be updated as time goes by,” DPM secretary John Kali told Loop PNG.
Section 56 of the Public Services (Management) Act 2014 states that an officer who wishes to contest a national election must resign no less than six months to the date of the issue of writs, and for local level government elections, one month before.
Secretary Kali earlier said “writs will be issued on 20 April 2017 so public servants were advised to resign no later than 20 October 2016. They must give one month’s notice no later than 20 September 2016”.
Meanwhile, Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said: “The instruction comes from DPM, and candidates must resign 6 months before issue of writs so they must be resigning before October.”
(Caption: File picture of John Kali, Department of Personnel Management Secretary.)