The Office of the Public Service Commission has rejected a newspaper story that has suggested an extension to the contract of Government Permanent Secretaries for another six months.
The Island Sun newspaper, on Wednesday 21 July has claimed the PSC has extended the contracts of Permanent Secretaries for another six months, which ends in December this year.PSC Chairman, Eliam Tangirongo said most of the claims in the story hold no truth and his Office have strongly denied giving the author any information on the issue.
Mr Tangirongo said the author has failed to get facts from his office but reported it out of his own imagination.
"He (the author) was advised to make inquiries to the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Ministry of Public Service. However, he went ahead and publish the article falsely claiming that the Commission has extended the contracts of PS's up to December," Mr Tangirongo said.
He further explained that the Public Service Commission is a confidential office and is not allowed to release any information to the media or to the public.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service is the only legal authority to release any information from the Commission.
Since the beginning of this year, the PSC has not received any submission for the extension of contracts of Permanent Secretaries.
The only submission received this year is for the appointment of the acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs due to the resignation of the incumbent to contest in the upcoming National General Election.
Mr Tangirongo said the only part of the story that has some truth is that former Permanent Secretaries Dr. Judson Leafasia, Ronald Unusi and Tione Bugotu are to contest in the upcoming election and had formally resigned.
However, the claim that Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Mr John Ta'aru has resigned to contest the election is not true. He is still a legitimate Permanent Secretary until a new Government is formed after the election.
Mr Tangirongo clarified that only the Prime Minister has the authority to advice the Commission on the affairs of the Permanent Secretaries.
"We do not make any decisions without the advice and concurrence of the Prime Minister," he added.
Mr Tangirongo said he strongly deplores such unprofessional journalism and demands the publisher publicly retracts the article and apologize to all Permanent Secretaries.
Source: Press Release, Government Communications Unit