Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has announced the appointment of Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu as Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Department.
Amb. Pomaleu, a distinguished Papua New Guinean from Manus, who worked as Managing-Director of Investment Promotion Authority and Ambassador to APEC, was appointed by the National Executive Council, last week.
Prime Minister Marape said: “Amb. Pomaleu will be Secretary to Prime Minister’s Department, under my vision of a flatter public service structure.
“In this structure, department and agency heads report directly and only to their ministers and not to a chief secretary, as it was over the last 20 years.
“The Prime Minister’s Department Secretary, however, will still coordinate Government policies and programmes by maintaining Chairmanship of the Central Agencies Coordination Committee.
“This is part of the my Government’s reform agenda in the public service. We are trying to make Waigani lighter and shift public services to rural areas, provinces and districts. We want to cut down on too many offices in Central Government.”
Prime Minister Marape thanked outgoing Chief Secretary Amb. Isaac Lupari, for his services to Government.
“As Prime Minister, I pay my respect to the outgoing Chief Secretary Amb. Isaac Lupari, who chose not to apply for this new designation. “Amb. Lupari will go out as the longest-serving and last Chief Secretary.”