The PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) says the process in selecting the new CEO was done in a very fair and professional manner.
The PNGRFL sub-committee made up of Chairman, Graham Osborne, Southern Confederate Director, Gwaibo Mairi and Highlands Confederate Director, Joe Tokam worked with Human Resource company- Vanguard International to screen the five shortlisted candidates.
Their recommendations were made to the PNGRFL board that made the decision to appoint Reatau Rau as the new CEO this week.
“I thank Vanguard who were a big part of this. We interviewed five people last weekend (three expatriates and two nationals), and it came down to four.
“We interviewed the two Papua New Guineans on the morning of Sunday and then on the Monday morning we interviewed the two expatriates.
“The expatriates were of very high quality and it took a lot of thinking and a lot of soul searching to see where we wanted to go.
“But I think deep down we always knew where we wanted to go. It was time for a Papua New Guinean as far as I was concerned.
“It was time to bring somebody in who had credibility, is a leader in his Vabukori village and a person who loves rugby league.
“With all due respect to the two previous gentlemen, we’ve had two expatriates and now it’s time to bring it home,” said Osborne.
Osborne stressed again that the due process in picking Rau as the CEO was done fairly and professionally with no outside interference.