Niningi’s decision supported

OUR country’s higher education has been a hotbed of corruption in the past few years, compromising education.
Education to Unesco is an endangered resource.
To us it’s an inalienable lifeline.
Structural adjustments and reforms across the higher education sector by Minister for Higher Education Research Science and Technology, Pila Niningi, are a step in the right direction.
Changes are now bringing back credibility in raising the standards and quality.
While change in our higher learning institutions is inevitable and necessary, it is extremely difficult to deal with.
People fear being pushed from their comfort zones.
Those intrinsically engrossed in the system of malpractice and corruption meet change with stiff resistance.
A case in point is the change at the University of PNG’s council and management last week – primarily to investigate administrative malpractice and put the school year on track.
Invoking the powers under the Higher Education Act and General Provisions, Minister Niningi dissolved both the university council and administration of UPNG.
He appointed an interim council with chancellor Jeffery Kennedy and acting vice-chancellor Prof Kenneth Sumbuk.
Kennedy wasted no time slashing the university’s K15,000 board and lodging fees to K6000 per year and the compulsory fee of K5000 down to K2000.
The school fee cut is a great relief for parents and sponsors in these difficult financial times.
Kennedy stated that it is not fair to penalise the students with hefty fees, when the university is responsible for financial mismanagement, yet, cannot look for smart alternatives to appease their failure.
Criticisms followed as expected, but much of these are baseless and do not help in assisting the students and revamping the university’s position.
Critics pick on things like, ‘the new chancellor is young and inexperienced and is a crony to the HERST minister’.
While the UPNG Act on the suitable candidates is very clear, which of course the minister is very much aware, Jeffery Dean Kennedy is certainly the youngest chancellor or head of a university in the world and that is quite a feat.
If age is a factor, Kennedy compensates that with his strong financial acumen, a smart and accomplished businessman and brings on board corporate knowledge and network.
Age may not necessarily be the litmus test for credentials.
As young as he is, Kennedy is the partner of the famous Jema Lawyers, owner of several multi-million kina companies including Century 21 Real Estates, Kennedy Estate and owns 2000 hectares of prime land in and around Port Moresby.
He is rivaling the Curtain Bros built wharf bought by PNG Ports in undertaking a similar project near Konebada Petroleum Park, and has business arms spanning into printing, construction, logging and oil palm farming.
This puts age to shame.
The few dry old men and women who served as chancellors past, some with PhDs and professors, apart from their decorated papers: what have they accomplished in life to share or what have they achieved for the university?
All they had left behind is a legacy of chronic mismanagement and had allowed the once-premier institution to slide down the abyss of dismal.
Kennedy’s council will focus to deliver the result to speak for itself in the short interim they serve.
Next was the question on cronyism.
This was amply addressed by both the UPNG Act and the superseding Higher Education Act.
Speculations are rife on a matter that the Minister for HERST and the chancellor are both on the board as directors to a company called Nett Holdings Ltd.
It is very evident from IPA records that both men are indeed directors to the same company, but the fact is there is nothing wrong in that.
Both are serving directors to a company they don’t have shareholding interest.
They only provide advisory roles to the company, owned by Papua New Guineans.
There is no direct benefit to the company or from the company with their association with the UPNG.
A similar precedence per would be Stephen Pokawin, the general-secretary of the National Alliance Party, who was appointed UPNG chancellor by the National Alliance government.
Both Grand Chief Somare, the party leader, and Pokawin were serving members of NA.
The difference is Pokawin never had an accomplished record as Kennedy, besides a law degree and a service station in Lorengau.
Finally, on the question of self-enriching, Kennedy sees taking the UPNG chancellor’s role as a community service to the country.
He already has plenty on his hands than the meagre K250 allowance per sitting.
Kennedy wants to give back something to the institution he was once a student and tutor.
Unless it would be a crime to volunteer and extend assistance.
Other things like land-grabbing speculations put up by some naysayers are all presumptuous.
Kennedy has over 2000 hectares of prime land and what would he gain out of the university’s little 200ha of land in total.
Kennedy owns Portion 2221 which is 600 hectares.
He brought that throughout right cash payment.
All others, totally 1400ha, have been approved by the lands board and has ownership and full control.
Kennedy doesn’t need the university land. What many critics fail to understand is Niningi is a lawyer himself.
He belongs to the old school of ethics and good moral conduct.
He gets sound legal advice from some of the best in the country and he’s very diligent and thorough.
He makes big decisions and he fearlessly defends his standpoint.

David Lepi
Port Moresby