No date has been set for the meeting to be held by the Ombudsman Appointment Committee to appoint a new Chief Ombudsman.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who is the committee’s chairperson, only announced that a meeting will be convened in the New Year.
The Chief Ombudsman's position is currently vacant after Mr Rigo Lua's term in office expired last year.
Ombudsman Phoebe Sangetari now serves as the Acting Chief Ombudsman.
Before December last year the committee was supposed to have met however due to a lack of quorum the meeting was deferred.
"The appointment process must be independent of politics,’’ Mr O’Neill says.
"It is inappropriate that the Opposition Leader continually tries to interfere in this process through the media and his network that is well-known. ‘’
The Opposition this week renewed its call to the Prime Minister to quickly appoint a new Chief Ombudsman.
(File Picture of Acting Chief Ombudsman Phoebe Sangetari )