Ex-PM criticised over opposing of law amendment

PRIME Minister James Marape says his predecessor Peter O’Neill chose to oppose Parliament’s amending of the law governing the public service “to cover up his own lack of effort into reforming and revitalising it”.
In a statement yesterday, Marape criticised O’Neill, the Ialibu-Pangia MP for “deliberately misconstruing the facts of the Public Services Management Bill 2021 to mislead Papua New Guineans”.
He said the reform was to have only committed public servants and “serious candidates” resigning to contest elections.
“No public servant is being banned from contesting elections. No one’s constitutional right is being taken away,” Marape said. “The former prime minister knows exactly what the amendments are and what they mean.
“This is part of the clean-up we are doing, and the former prime minister should be supporting and thanking us for cleaning up a mess he had left behind.” But O’Neill said “there was no mess in the public service when Marape was given the government leadership on a golden plate”.
“He has politicised and introduced tribalism and cronyism in the appointment process which has now demoralised the entire public service machinery.”
He said any sensible government should welcome competition and experience in its ranks.