Lupari’s contract to end

By HELEN TARAWA
CHIEF secretary Isaac Lupari’s four-year term ends on Tuesday.
Department of Personnel Management (DPM) secretary Taies Sansan confirmed the date and said the decision on whether Lupari continued as chief secretary or a new appointment be made rested with Prime Minister James Marape as the portfolio minister.
“Marape is the portfolio minister so we are communicating with his office to get feedback from him,” she told The National.
“In the event that he (Marape) says Lupari will continue acting after his term expires next week, then we will facilitate that acting position.
“If he (Marape) says it stops from Feb 11 and wants a new person, then one of the six central agency coordinating committee (CACC) members will be appointed acting chief secretary,” she said.
Sansan said currently the chief secretary was the chairman of CACC and the departmental heads on that committee included secretaries for DPM, National Planning, Treasury, Finance, Inter Government Relations and Justice.
She said Minister for Public Service Soroi Eoe was consulting the views of Marape before things were finalised.
Sansan said DPM would also consult with Public Services Commission (PSC) which was part of the process.
She said the Personnel Management and NEC Act stated that there would be another senior officer with the DPM and NEC appointed as acting secretary.
“This arrangement is a bit different from the other departments.
“Whoever is appointed secretary for the DPM and NEC becomes the chief secretary.
“Substantively, it’s one person but in terms of acting appointments there will be two persons.
“Consultation process with PSC will be underway to appoint an acting chief secretary and that person must be from the CACC members on an acting basis,” she said.
Sansan said for the DPM and NEC it could be either one of the deputies who would be eligible for appointment. Lupari was appointed chief secretary on Feb 11, 2016 after the retirement of Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc.