Call for investigation

By HELEN TARAWA
THE PNG Energy Workers Association (PNGEWA) has called for an investigation into the allegations of the restructure of PNG Power that was implemented earlier this month allegedly without due process.
PNGEWA general-secretary Santee Margis told The National that there were allegations of amendments to employment contracts and qualification and job descriptions without probation and forged signatures on contacts of employment.
Margis said they had raised these issues to the newly appointed managing director Flagon Bekker last year.
He said Bekker had been with PPL for five months and he had yet to address these issues.
Among the list of allegations were a medical bill of K42,000 for a newly appointed officer without serving any probationary period of employment and no proper acquittal and reimbursement to PNG Power.
It was also alleged that the same officer was involved in an accident and a total sum of K16,000 was paid by PPL for damages to a hired vehicle.
Margis said there were allegations of advance leave fares paid directly to a senior PPL officer without tax to the State or acquittals.
Another concern was the recruitment of relatives without proper process, direct appointment of individuals to human resource without following proper process and payment of school fees without acquittals within PPL. Margis said PNGEWA was concerned of the restructure and recruitment of staff to new senior positions created with lucrative employment contracts without the knowledge of staff.
It was alleged that the probation period process as per the 2019 salary structure band movement had been abused.
Meanwhile, PNGEWA has called on PPL management to pay the one per cent Consumer Price Index for 2019, in retrospective of Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2019.