Namah suspends Riches

PNG Ports Corporation chief executive officer Brian Riches was yesterday suspended by Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah who is acting Minister for Public Enterprises.

A letter containing the notice of suspension was dropped off at the PNG Ports office reception at lunch.

Riches said it contained no reasons for his suspension.

Yesterday afternoon Riches was in the process of making an application in the National Court seeking a court injunction to stop the process pending a full court hearing.

"Until this hearing is completed, it will be business as usual at PNG Ports," he said.

Riches said his suspension did not follow due process and that he was a leader under the Leadership Code and could be dealt with by the Ombudsman Commission if the government felt he had fallen foul of the law.

He said neither the Independent Public Business Corporation nor the National Executive Council had any powers to appoint under existing laws.

The power was reserved for the board of the organisation.

Riches said he had been accused of mismanagement in the PNG Ports but no details were given.

The sacking comes only a week after the government honoured Riches with the Order of the Logohu in the New Years’ Honours list.

Riches said: "One day I am celebrating the highest moment of my life and in then it is the lowest point. I have no idea what is going on.

"It is devastating."

Riches has spent 30 years in various management positions in the country, is a citizen and joined PNG Ports in 2007.