Too many actors turning dept into Hollywood show

THE Department of Agriculture and Livestock has become a Hollywood with too many acting secretaries and that needs to stop if the Government policies are to be realised, its Minister Benny Allen says.
Allen, who raised concern that the department had four acting positions over the past four years, said it was time for the Department of Personnel Management to advertise the positions.
He said the department responsible for making appointments needed to advertise the position of the secretary so it gave potential candidates a chance to apply and fill the position instead of the continuous acting appointments.
He raised the issue when announcing the appointment of acting Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Livestock Daniel Kambuk yesterday.
He said the National Executive Council appointed Kambuk from Minj in Jiwaka after the acting appointment of Francis Dang expired last month.
Kambuk is a horticulturist who had worked with the department for 27 years.
Allen said previously Dairi Vele was the acting secretary and when his acting appointment expired in June last year, Dang was appointed and acted in the position for nine months.
He said Dang’s acting appointment expired on Friday and Kambuk had taken over as the acting secretary for another three months.
He started as the acting secretary yesterday.
Allen said over the past nine months, the department achieved a lot in terms of implementing government policies and visions during Dang’s term as the acting secretary.
He said under Dang’s leadership, the department was able to make many submissions to the National Executive Council including submissions for rice farming, cocoa project in Abau and dairy project at Yalu in Lae.
He said they have also made submission to revive the livestock industry in the country, with the government allocating K9 million this year.