Department of Personnel Management Secretary Ms. Taies Sansan has confirmed that the Madang Provincial Administrator is Mr Frank Tonges Lau. Secretary Sansan said, the National Executive Council revoked the Acting Provincial Administrator Mr Clement Tare’s appointment and appointed Mr Lau on the 10th of May 2022 in NEC decision number 229 of 2022. Mr. Lau’s appointment was gazetted on the 30th of May in gazettal notice G426 and it is for a 4-year term. Secretary Ms. Taies Sansan said, the issue of appointment of the Provincial Administrator for Madang is a decision made by the National Executive Council based on a resolution and recommendation by the Provincial Executive Council. Ms. Sansan clarified that the appointing authority is the NEC and it made the decision based on the merit-based process of which the short list of applicants who applied for the position went through the appointments process which also involved the Public Service Commission and the Provincial Executive Council. “I must make it clear that the Department of Personnel Managements mandate is only to facilitate the appointments process. The appointing authority is the National Executive Council who appoints a Provincial Administrator based on recommendations from the Provincial Executive Council”. Secretary Sansan has confirmed that letters have been sent to both Messrs Tare and Lau on the 6th of June to inform them of the revocation and the appointment respectively. A copy of the letter was sent to the Governor’s Office and the Madang Provincial Administration HR. Ms. Sansan said, public servants must remain neutral and refrain from indulging in such standoffs as executive appointments are the prerogative of the NEC. “I appeal to all the public servants in Madang to respect the NEC decision on the appointment of Mr Lau and return to work immediately”.