Manning revokes PA’s appointment

By KARO JESSE
STATE of Emergency (SOE) Controller David Manning has revoked the appointment of Paul Ito Adam as the Madang acting provincial administrator after his appointment raised concern from the public.
In a letter to Governor Peter Yama on April 12, Manning revoked the appointment he made on April 10 and explained that Adam’s appointment was temporary because there was a vacancy in the position.
It is understood that because provincial administrators are designated to manage the Covid-19 provincial coordination centres, Manning had appointed Adam to fill the role.
Manning claimed that acting provincial administrator Joseph Bonomane’s term had expired on Feb 21.
However, Manning’s letter regarding revocation was not disclosed until Bonomane filed an urgent application on Monday seeking clarification of the court of who was the provincial administrator and procedures to appoint provincial administrators.
Bonomane filed a proceeding because his term was extended by the Madang government through the provincial executive council as acting provincial administrator for another three months, from Feb 21 to May 21.
During the hearing of the urgent application, the letter was disclosed to Bonomane’s lawyer Ben Lomai on short notice.
Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi dismissed the proceedings at that instance, claiming the letter resolved the issue.
He then awarded the cost of the proceedings to the defendants because they delivered the letter at an eleventh-hour when court was hearing the application.