PM's Office letter annoys commissioners [1]
Thursday, October 2, 2014 - 21:28. Updated on Thursday, October 2, 2014 - 21:36.
A planned resignation by the four members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) was avoided this week when it was discovered that there was a missing link between the Prime Minister's Office and the Commissioners.
Finau Tutone, a member of the Commission told Matangi Tonga yesterday, that the commissioners had decided to resign because they were offended after being called incompetent by the Prime Minister's Office.
The PSC has been without a chairperson since Mishka Tu'ifua resigned to become the General Manager of the new Pacific International Commercial Bank on April 7.
Finau said that a letter that was supposed to have been sent from the Prime Minister's Office to the Commission in April or May advising them to advertise for a new PSC chairperson, did not get to the Commission until July, even though the Prime Minister's Office and the office of the Public Service Commission are in the same building complex.
However, the PSC did not get such a letter from the Prime Minister's Office until July and they were not happy with comments in the letter, accusing them of being incompetent. Finau said that they felt insulted and that was why they decided to hand over their resignations.
Since the chairperson left, the PSC has been made up of a Chief Executive Officer, Pelenatita Langi'oi, with three other members, Finau Tutone, Dr Litili 'Ofanoa and Simione Sefanaia.
Finau said that the Prime Minister was currently overseas so they went to see the Acting Prime Minister, Hon Samiu Vaipulu to explain their position and why they wanted to resign.
He said that the Acting Prime Minister had apologized for what appeared to be a break down in communications between the Prime Minister's Office and the PSC, and pleaded for them to stay.
The situation now is that the members of the PSC have withdrawn their resignation, though they are still without a chairperson.
Chief Secretary
Traditionally information coming from the Prime Minister's Office and from Cabinet comes through the Chief Secretary to Government and Secretary to Cabinet. But this key role has been an acting position since the Public Service Commission dismissed Busby Kautoke on 6 April 2012. Currently the Acting Chief Secretary and the Secretary to Cabinet is 'Aholotu Palu.