MINISTER DUMA REAFFIRMS GOVERNMENT’S NON-INTERFERENCE POLICY IN SOE APPOINTMENTS

CAPTION: State-Owned Enterprises Minister Hon. William Duma

BY LETHISA KOLOKOL

THE Marape-Rosso Government maintains a strict policy of non-interference regarding the appointment of Managing Directors and CEOs for all Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) subsidiaries, according to State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister William Duma.

Speaking yesterday, during Datec’s 2023 dividend presentation to its parent company Telikom Limited, Minister Duma commended both entities for their leadership in the ICT sector.

He reaffirmed that the government does not politically influence leadership selections, noting that SOE Boards are currently delivering strong, outcome-based results.

Minister Duma explained that executive appointments are made by the Cabinet based on recommendations from an independent Australian-based consultancy to ensure a thorough, transparent, and fair process.

While acknowledging chronic service reliability issues with PNG Power and Water PNG, the Minister emphasized that these SOEs continue to fulfill their mandates.