New secretary will be appointed by December, says PM

PRIME Minister James Marape says a new secretary to the Prime Minister’s Department will be appointed by December.
Marape said this in response to claims that a new secretary, an expatriate, would be appointed.
He told The National that the chief secretary’s position had been abolished.
He said the secretary’s position would be advertised and that there were no plans for an expatriate to be appointed.
Marape in a statement said last week Parliament had passed amendments to the Prime Minister and National Executive Council Act and the Public Services Management Act.
He said these amendments were to clarify the role of the Central Agencies Coordination Committee and to re-scope the position of secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and NEC.
“They are part of a broader agenda of reform being pursued by the Government,” he said.
“Given the need for continuity of leadership, I have decided that the current acting chief secretary Isaac Lupari continues in that position until January 2021.”
Marape said Lupari was playing a critical role in progressing complex negotiations on key resources projects including the Porgera gold mine and was leading work on the economic advisory group which was providing advice to the Ministerial Economic Committee on how to address the challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said Lupari also continued to support significant parts of the Government’s reform agenda.
Marape said the amendment to abolish chief secretary’s position would be effective as of January.