Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has announced the appointment of Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu as Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Department.
Pomaleu is from Manus and worked as Managing-Director of Investment Promotion Authority and Ambassador to APEC, prior to being appointed by the National Executive Council last week.
Pomaleu takes over Issac Lupari who has been the longest serving and the last Chief Secretary.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister, James Marape, Lupari chose not to apply for the position when his term expired.
“As Prime Minister, I pay my respect to outgoing Chief Secretary Amb. Isaac Lupari, who chose not to apply for this new designation”.
Amb. Pomaleu will be Secretary to Prime Minister’s Department under the Prime minister’s vision of a flatter public service structure.
“In this structure, department and agency heads report directly and only to their ministers and not to chief secretary as it was over the last 20 years,
“The Prime Minister’s Department Secretary, however, will still cordinate 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.
