DPM confirms Powi as acting provincial administrator

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday, May 5, 2011

WILLIAM Powi is the new acting Southern Highlands provincial administrator, Personnel Management secretary John Kali has confirmed.
He said the appointment was confirmed on Tuesday.
Kali said the appointment of Lawrence Olkoben by the provincial executive council, in a meeting at the Kiburu Lodge in Mendi last week, was illegal.
He said that the council did not have the powers to make appointments.
Kali said the council could only recommend possible candidates to personnel management and the Public Service Commission.
He said if approved, the nomination went to the minister for a permanent appointment to be made by the national executive council.
Kali said the Department of Personnel Management decided to appoint Powi as acting administrator until a formal appointment was made.
“Since Powi’s contract expired on April 4, I wrote to him to act until a decision is made.
“If the PEC appointed someone, that is illegal,” he said.
“I knew there was going to be a vacancy so I wrote to the Public Service Commission and recommended four names including Powi, Olkoben and the two deputies, but the appointment is yet to be made,” Kali said.