Sacking row

By MALUM NALU
PERSONNEL Management acting Secretary Taies Sansan has told the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to immediately reinstate legal officer Francis Tavatuna who had been locked out of his office since last week.
Sansan is also looking into a similar case involving the sidelining of Dr Arnold Parapi by the Cocoa Board.
Both senior officials were relieved of their duties last week by the department and the board respectively for allegedly exposing discrepancies and wrongdoings in the agriculture department (DAL) and the Cocoa Board.
It is understood that allegations raised reached Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Benny Allan, Vice-Minister Henry Ame, Public Service Minister Elias Kapavore and National Planning Minister Richard Maru.
Sansan, pictured, has written to DAL Secretary Dr Vele Ila’ava to immediately put Tavatuna back on the payroll and to allow him access to his office.
She told Ila’ava that she had been informed that Tavatuna had been locked out of his office.
“This is contrary to his three-year contract,” Sansan said.
“It’s important that you allow his access so he can discharge his duties as the legal officer. Any issues you may have with him can be addressed through relevant sections of the general orders.
“I request your understanding and compliance to this letter so this outstanding issue can be settled once and for all.”
Sansan said Tavatuna had never been paid his remuneration at Grade 15.1 as stipulated in his contract. He was initially recruited on a short-term contract from Nov 16, 2016, to Nov 17, 2017.
“During his short-term contract, the legal officer position was advertised internally,” Sansan said.
“He applied and was selected and appointed for a three-year period commencing on and from April 4, 2017.
“This arrangement was approved by the Department of Personnel Management through a letter dated Nov 2, 2017.
“I am informed that since his appointment on the short-term contract, he has never been paid his remuneration at the specified level – Grade 15.1 – as stipulated in his short-term contract.”
Sansan said her department had completed the compliance checks but was yet to issue the file number.
“This matter needs to be sorted out so officers like Tavatuna, who have been selected through the normal process, can be paid his dues as per the signed contract of employment,” she said.
“I have instructed my officers to immediately issues a file number to Tavatuna and have him placed on the payroll – backdated to when he was appointed on the short-term contract, including the new contract to date.”
She plans to write to Cocoa Board chief executive officer Boto Gaupu expressing her concern over the manner executive manager field services Parapi had been treated.