Close watch on ministers

THE performance of Cabinet ministers will be assessed every six months to ensure transparency and conformity to Government plans and goals, says Prime Minister James Marape.
Marape will today name his full Cabinet line-up who will be sworn in by Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae.
“I will put in place a performance-based system for ministers to be assessed every six months so that the intent of Government is achieved going forward,” he said in a statement.
He warned that some “capable and qualified” MPs on the Government benches will find themselves missing from the Cabinet list today “but they need to know that their opportunity will arise”.
He had named eight serving ministers in the caretaker cabinet announced after his election last week.
All including himself had served in Cabinet under his predecessor Peter O’Neill.
He said the new Cabinet would likely be divided into two streams with him leading one and the deputy prime minister the other.
The same performance-based system for ministers will apply to heads of departments to ensure “transparency and confidence”, he said.
“Every MP and department head is a public servant. Citizens have every right to expect us to perform at our best and to meet required standards,” he said.
Marape said the composition of Cabinet was a “serious matter with significant implications for the economy and the country”.
“I have had the benefit of working with our senior MPs over many years,” Marape said.
“This has given me the opportunity to assess their strengths and policy talents that have been built over their many years of parliamentary service and other experience. We have in our Government a range of MPs with extraordinary experience in the private sector and in public service.
“Our Government will harness this experience that will be of great benefit to deliberations in the National Executive Council and in the delivery of Government services.
“A further important consideration in the appointment of the new Cabinet is to ensure there is balance in regional representation. Our country is vast with many different cultural groups and communities where specific challenges they face are varied.
“It is extremely important that our Cabinet carries with it the views and the aspirations from all parts of our nation. This is essential for us to continue to restore our country, take back our economy and point us in the right direction going forward.”