Andrew Solomon Napuat

Minister of Internal Affairs, Andrew Napuat, has appealed to the people of Vanuatu to consider facts in relation to the appointments of Parliamentary Secretaries (PS) before making conclusions.

Minister Napuat is a former PS. In 2016, he was appointed PS to the Prime Minister, responsible for Provincial Affairs.

“Before you criticize, it is best that you ask whether or not a PS performed to expectations and if he had deliver,” Minister Napuat said, voicing his concerns in light of the public debate surrounding the controversial PS positions.

He commented that today on social media Members of Parliament (MPs) are receiving mainly negative criticism from the general public.

“The words they throw at us include, ‘You MPs are corrupt. You MPs rob the people. You will end up in jail.’”.

As a former PS, Mr. Napuat said he cannot accept such critics because he believes he performed his best when he previously occupied the PS position.

“I believe that I performed to the best of my ability and delivered to what the Government has expected of me, particularly on the program of Decentralization.”

The former PS also affirmed that the position of PS was created in “broad daylight”.

“I know that my contract under this appointment had clearance, and I can confirm that there has never been anyone who argued that this PS position was illegal.

“I was present in all the Parliament sessions that had appropriation debated and nobody commented that under the budget of Prime Minister that these positions were illegal. There was no such thing raised in parliament. Everyone voted, maybe a few MPs from the Opposition opposed, but this carried clearance from MBC, and later approved by Council of Ministers. Parliament passed it, the Head of State assented to it and it was gazetted by State Law.

“It completed the due process to make it legal. Therefore, all that time, I did not see myself as robbing the nation.

“An appointment was done in good faith. Expectations raised and I delivered. Because of these works, surely, we got paid for it.”

Minister Napuat urged the public to take a step back and evaluate the works done by the PS before pointing fingers and criticising.

“I am willing to provide you with the full report of what I had accomplished during my term in this position.

“I traveled to all the six provinces and communities and went as far as completing a policy framework that the chiefs agreed to and adopting it in a national forum at the Malvatumauri.”

He said it is sad to see the feedback despite the effort to provide services to the people.

“I have committed my time to serve this nation, if I had done otherwise, I’d agree to the negative feedback,” he concluded.

source:Vanuatu daily post