Port Moresby | 17 March 2024 – The National Executive Council (NEC) has rejected the
Public Service Commission’s (PSC) submission for the appointment of a Health Secretary, citing serious breaches in the integrity of the selection process.
In response, Cabinet has sanctioned an administrative inquiry into the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) to restore transparency and accountability in public service appointments.
Integrity of the Appointment Process Compromised
Prime Minister James Marape emphasised that public service positions must be awarded based on merit, not political lobbying or personal connections.
He warned against applicants lobbying ministers or officials to influence their placement on shortlists.
“Part of the reason this submission was sent back is the apparent lobbying by one or two shortlisted candidates,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“A question I ask is this: How do you even know you are on the shortlist? How do you know where you rank? This information should not be accessible before it even reaches Cabinet.”
He further revealed that some candidates had claimed to be shortlisted and attempted to use that information to lobby ministers for appointments.
“I have personally encountered individuals who told me they were on the shortlist. When I checked, I found they were not. I had to tell them—if you believe you are entitled to a job simply because you think you are on a shortlist, then I am sorry, but you will not get the job,” he said.
Key Cabinet Decisions
1. Administrative Inquiry Launched – The inquiry will investigate how confidential shortlist details are being leaked and whether the selection process is being manipulated behind the scenes. It will focus on the role of DPM and PSC in the shortlisting and ranking of candidates before Cabinet’s review.
2. No More Lobbying for Appointments – The Prime Minister strongly discouraged lobbying
within the public service system. “If you want a public service job, let your qualifications and
experience speak for themselves. Do not lobby ministers or public servants to influence your
appointment,” he said.
3. Reaffirming a Merit-Based Selection Process – The government is committed to ensuring
that public service appointments follow due process. Under the correct system:
* DPM advertises the position and shortlists five candidates.
* PSC reviews and ranks the top three based on merit.
* Cabinet makes the final selection based on PSC’s recommendation.
Unfortunately, this process has been compromised, with candidates lobbying officials and even predicting their ranking before the process is complete.
Restoring Trust in Public Service Appointments
The Prime Minister stressed that merit-based appointments are the foundation of national progress, citing Singapore and South Korea as examples of countries that have advanced through competence-based leadership.
“The reason why countries like Singapore and South Korea have progressed is that they appoint the best people for the job—not based on connections or lobbying, but on qualifications and competence,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of leadership in the health sector, the Prime Minister confirmed that the current Acting Health Secretary will remain in place while the selection process is reset and restarted to ensure a fair and transparent appointment.
“Health is a vital sector, and we must ensure the right person is leading it. Until we arrive at a process that ensures transparency, fairness, and the selection of the most qualified candidate, we will not proceed with any appointment based on external influence,” hestated.
The administrative inquiry will thoroughly investigate how and why confidential selectioninformation is being leaked and propose measures to prevent external interference inpublic service appointments.
“This system has been manipulated for too long. It stops now,” Prime Minister Marapedeclared.