Top post up for grabs

By LULU MARK
CABINET will decide who will fill the position of health secretary when Pascoe Kase’s contract expires on Monday, says Health and HIV-AIDS Minister Jelta Wong.
He told The National that the position was before the National Executive Council (NEC) for deliberation.
He confirmed that Kase’s contract would expire on Monday, Jan 20.
When asked if Kase would remain in the position, and at what stage was the process of appointing the secretary at as of yesterday, Wong said: “It’s with the NEC at the moment and I cannot preempt an outcome.”
Kase, a lawyer by profession, had served in the position for two terms – a total of eight years.
He was serving as the deputy secretary in charge of policy and administration in the Health Department prior.
According to The National’s archived reports, he was appointed acting secretary for health in July 2011 by then Health Minister Sasa Zibe.
In September last year, Kase was told to step aside to allow a committee to investigate issues raised by the National Doctors Association, including the awarding of two contracts to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd on the supply of medicine.
He resumed duties a week later, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Then Health Minister Elias Kapavore said the decision to hire, suspend and terminate departmental heads were done by the Governor-General on the advice of the NEC.
He said Kase was a department head appointed through set procedures. It was reported on July 26 last year that the Department of Personnel Management was given a specific directive by the NEC to advertise the position of department heads and heads of statutory bodies six months before their contracts expired, and that acting appointments must be for a period of three months only before substantive appointments are made.
Wong did not respond when asked if the health secretary’s position had been advertised six months prior as is the requirement.
Kase featured prominently in the news towards the end of last year during the inquiry instituted by the public accounts committee of parliament into the procurement, supply and distribution of medicine in the country.
Meanwhile, suspended Health Department corporate manager Paul Dopsie has taken Kase and the State to court over his suspension on Dec 2, allegedly in regards to the findings of the inquiry.
Dopsie’s lawyer Michael Koimo filed the case on Dec 31, asking the court to review the suspension.
Parties appeared at the Waigani Court yesterday for hearing. But it was adjourned to tomorrow because the State was yet to be served the relevant court documents.