Tsiamalili’s appointment was orchestrated

 THE appointment of Peter Tsiamalili Jnr as head of the PNG sports foundation is nothing but a win for the ‘good old boys’. 

This appointment seems irregular, thus, ignoring the conclusion of the merit-based appointment process carried out by the public service commission. 

I believe that connections, partisanship and the incumbent’s other extraneous factors played major roles in his appointment. 

Cronyism is a specific form of favouritism, referring to partiality towards friends and associates. As the old saying goes, “It is not what you know but who you know”, or as blogger Danny Ferguson put it, “It is not what you do not know; it is who your college roommate knows”. Cronyism occurs within a network of insiders-the ‘good ol’ boys’, who confer favours on one another and that alone reflects the manner of which lead to the eventual appointment of Tsiamalili Jnr as the PNGSF CEO. 

In the public sphere, favouritism, cronyism and nepotism also undermine the common good. When someone is granted a position because of connections rather than because he or she has the credentials and experience, the service that person renders to the public may be inferior. 

Also, because favouritism is often covert, this practice undercuts the transparency that should be part of governmental hiring. 

For the benefit of all the stakeholders, the minister in charge of the sports and the PNGSF chairman should be investigated for their wholesome role in this dilemma. 

Futbol Administrator

Port Moresby