Raicoast MP Kessy Sawang has been appointed as the Papua New Guinea labour and employment minister.
Sawang was sworn in Monday at the Government House in Konedobu.
Prime Minister James Marape congratulated her and said she would bring in a wealth of experience from her time serving in the public service and would help clean up the ministry and address outstanding issues that included employment and reviewing the minimum wage rate.
“We have many jobs that are supposed to be for locals only been taken up by expatriates, and Sawang is a no-nonsense Minister who will clean this up,” he said.
“She served distinctively as a vice-minister and with the vacancy created by Madang MP Bryan Kramer on account of a dismissal of office effected by the governor-general on the recommendation of a leadership tribunal.
“The cabinet believed Sawang was the right candidate for the ministry and her appointment was done based on merit.” Sawang thanked Marape and his Cabinet for the confidence in her and said she would do her best to work with the Government to serve at the district, provincial and national levels.
She said as Minister for Labour, one of the first things she would do was to clean up the ministry and the department and address employment issues.
“I will be looking at reviewing the current minimum wage rate,” she said.
Her party leader, International Trade and Investment Minister Richard Maru, who was also present, thanked Marape for having the confidence in Sawang.
“Sawang will make a qualified minister because her appointment was done based on merit and she is an intelligent person,” Maru said.
“You have chosen well.”
Maru said he would continue to mentor and support Sawang in her new capacity as the labour and employment minister.
SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS
