Vele confirms new Govt posting

TREASURY secretary Dairi Vele has confirmed that he will become the chairman of the State negotiating team.
Vele told The National yesterday: “The Marape government is reviewing how we are represented on the world stage and how we can achieve our development outcomes.
“They have decided to establish a full-time chairman role for major national projects in mining, petroleum and other large foreign investments. I am privileged to accept this position.”
Vele said he wanted to see State negotiations lead to better investments and on better terms for the people “so that our government can invest in more roads, schools, bridges and hospitals”.
Vele was appointed Treasury secretary in 2013.
“I am proud of what the department has achieved under my eight and a half years as secretary, including the progress on the Papua LNG Project, the recommencement of the new Porgera gold mine and the P’nyang petroleum project,” he said. He said current project negotiations were expected to reap billions of dollars’ worth of economic benefits.
“These projects have a direct impact on us at an individual, family and community level,” he said.
“I will find solutions to problems that deliver a positive outcome to our nation as did our forefathers.”