Court rejects officer’s appeal

THE National Court has rejected PNG Defence Force Col Otto Pandum’s appeal to review the National Executive Council’s (NEC) refusal to appoint him the National Intelligence Organisation (NIO) director-general.
Judge Nicholas Miviri in handing down the decision in Waigani yesterday, said NEC didn’t breach the law to refuse Pandum’s appointment despite the Ministerial Executive Appointment Committee’s (MEAC) recommendation to appoint him.
However, Pandum said outside court that he would appeal Justice Miviri’s decision in the Supreme Court to review it because he believed the judge didn’t take note of members of the NEC not attending the trial on Sept 14 to present the NEC decision No. 225/18 for Col Pandum’s appointment to the post.
Pandum sought judicial review claiming that Department of Personnel Management (then) acting secretary Taies Sansan was ignoring the NEC decision to appoint him the director-general.
Instead, Sansan advertised for applications for the job while Pandum’s judicial review was still before the court.
Pandum had filed for a judicial review on Nov 29, 2018.
Earlier on, MEAC chairman then, Elias Kapavore, had recommended to NEC on July 25, 2018, to appoint Pandum after MEAC members including deputy PM then, Charles Abel and Justice Minister and Attorney-General then Davis Steven ruled in favour of Pandum’s application.
When Kapavore was the Public Service Minister and MEAC chairman, he confirmed to this paper that Pandum was the new director-general.