Sir Puka urges administrator to appoint officials

 THE Milne Bay provincial administrator has been urged to appoint a deputy administrator and oversee the appointments of district administrators in the province. 

Public Service Minister Sir Puka Temu told Parliament last Friday that he expected the provincial administrator to exercise his powers to make these appointments. 

Sir Puka was responding to questions from Milne Bay Governor Titus Philemon, who also told the minister that the deputy provincial administrator and district administrators were all on acting positions. 

Philemon asked Sir Puka to resolve the issue immediately as it was affecting the administration of the province and its districts. 

The minister said the Personnel Management secretary transferred human resource powers to the provincial administrator in January this year, which he should use to make the permanent appointments. 

“I am at a loss as to why the current provincial administrator is not exercising those powers. I wish to advice that HR powers are given back to the current PA which he must now exercise the powers,” Sir Puka said.