‘Remote control’ claims denied

Normal, Papua

ACTING Gulf provincial administrator Simon Peter says the Gulf administration is working effectively in the provincial capital Kerema.
Mr Peter was responding to claims by Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill that the administration was operating by remote control out of Port Moresby.
Mr O’Neill, who was briefed on this by the Public Employees Association branch executive last month, had ordered the administrators to return to Kerema or be charged under public service laws.
However, Mr Peter claimed last week that he and his administration had always been operating from Kerema town and that Mr O’Neill had been misinformed by people with self interest.
“All is well in the province, and I as appointed by the National Executive Council, am currently based in Kerema sorting out the mess that has been left behind by the former administrator,” Mr Peter said.
He said he already met with the Personnel Management secretary John Kali, who was aware that he had always been in Kerema but frequently came to Port Moresby to attend court case matters.