Selection on merit remains

 STRONG partnership in political and bureaucratic leadership is needed for smooth delivery of goods and services in the country, Public Services Minister, Sir Puka Temu said.

“I believe that the nation is moving towards this direction in terms of both political and bureaucratic leadership. To deliver the much-needed public goods and services to our people, there needs to be a strong partnership,” he said in parliament yesterday. 

“Under the direction of the prime minister and our agreement at the Alotau Accord, this is the direction of our new amendments now coming in.”

Sir Puka said this in his statement when presenting to parliament the Constitutional amendment on the appointment of certain officers. Parliament later passed the law on votes 92-0.

He agreed with the permanent parliamentary committee’s recommendation that more was needed to be done to ensure that the new processes of selection and appointment of officials were solely based on merit and that the integrity and independence of the process should be maintained at all times.

“This a very important recommendation and therefore all the changes, both the Constitution and Organic Laws that we are going to pass today (yesterday) that the merit-based appointment process has not been touched. The merit-based appointment remains and that is for all heads of agencies, provinces and districts the advertisements will be done.

“Those who believe that they are qualified to occupy this very important bureaucratic leadership positions will apply.”