Delay in appointing MRDC MD fishy
I WISH to express my disappointment in the current Government’s handling of the appointment process of some key departments and statutory bodies in the recent times.
Of the many, I am particularly concerned over delay in the appointment of the managing director of the Mineral Resource Development Corporation (MRDC).
I am reliably told that the recruitment process was completed almost four months ago.
A professional recruitment company was engaged to carry out necessary recruitment processes of screening applications, short listing and interviewing candidates, checking character references, qualification, etc.
I’m sure these consultants were engaged at the expense of tax payers on two important grounds; firstly, to recruit the right person for the job with due diligence; and secondly, to maintain impartiality in the appointment process.
Now, if that is the case, I am wondering what is causing this long delay.
It cannot be tolerated, especially by the resource owners who are currently bombarded with lots of issues.
One of the important projects in PNG’s history, the massive multi-billion dollar gas project, whilst in its initial stages, needs someone with the appropriate attributes to be at the helm of MRDC to make informed decisions for the benefit of the local resource owners and the nation as a whole.
However, if the Government is still undecided on the appointment even after the lengthy and impartial recruitment process by professionals, then let me offer few more hints on the points of qualification:
1. One must be a highly educated national with masters in economics, business and management;
2. Person with good local knowledge on the social and cultural settings as well as economic and environmental issues;
3. Person with strong business management and administrative skills through hands on experience;
4. A person with clean and successful track record in business, management and operations;
5. Young, energetic, confident, open-minded, well-exposed, visionary and aspiring Papua New Guinean who has the intellectual ability together with the potential to make well informed decisions to benefit the resource owners and the nation.
Having come from one of the resource rich provinces, I am often times disillusioned to see corrupt people getting into the offices and start answering political calls, let alone the wheeling and dealing that go on behind the curtains.
Finally, I urge the Government to fast track the process and appoint a capable person promptly so we know who is in the driver’s seat.

Bemused, Manchester, UK
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