Dept heads told to be accountable, responsible

The National National

By MALUM NALU
Public Service Minister Elias Kapavore, yesterday called on department heads to be “accountable and responsible” in their administration.
He said that in response to questions about Department of Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Dr Vele Ila’ava purportedly terminating legal officer Francis Tavatuna, and Cocoa Board chief executive officer Boto Gaupu doing likewise to his executive manager, field services, Dr Arnold Parapi.
Tavatuna and Parapi had raised questions about the way in which the department and board were being managed, as well as alleged discrepancies.
Ila’ava has been given seven days until today by DAL Minister Benny Allan to respond to allegations raised by Tavatuna and Parapi.
Kapavore said Ila’ava had been given notice to respond as a normal disciplinary process under public service governing legislations.
“We cannot release information regarding the allegations and cannot pre-empt the outcome of this process,” he said.
Kapavore said aggrieved staff approached his department, either on their terminations or those seeking clearance on the need to be reinstated by the Public Services Commission (PSC).
“While DPM (Department of Personnel Management) does not wish to interfere with internal administrative decisions of the department, it has the mandated role and the custodianship to ensure that necessary procedures leading to recruitment, suspension and termination of officers are done in compliance to the Public Service Management Act and its governing regulations,” he said.
“Many decisions done not in compliance of set procedures have resulted in State liabilities.
“I have instructed my secretary to write to departmental heads who continue to defy PSC decisions to reinstate some officers.
“The fact is these (PSC) decisions after 30 days are binding, hence, must be complied with.
“The more we delay, liabilities accumulate and we put the State under unnecessary financial stress.
“I call on departmental heads in this category to adhere to instructions.”