BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The Prime Minister has said there is nothing sinister about the redesignation of Dr Jimmie Rodgers and the appointment of Dr Melchoir Mataki to the office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) as the new SPM.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele clarified the issue after his return from Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Sunday.
Dr Jimmie Rodgers was appointed as Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Special Duties while Dr Melchoir Mataki was appointed as the new Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM).
“There is nothing sinister about the redesignation of Dr Jimmie Rodgers as Secretary to Prime Minister Special Duties and the appointment of Dr Mataki to the OPMC as the new Secretary to the Prime Minister.
He told local media on Sunday that having an SPM and SPM Special Duties is not new and will ensure the OPMC is enhanced.
“This arrangement already existed at OPMC and had been used before, and I believe with the transformative agenda the GNUT government wants to drive, we need to reactivate this structure to ensure the capacity of OPMC as the coordinating ministry of the government is enhanced,’’ said Manele.
Manele said that the role of the Office of the Secretary to Prime Minister has many additional responsibilities to the usual SPM role since taking on that role more than six years ago to date.
He said that it is therefore important to revert the SPM role to what it is contracted to deliver and that other important areas be addressed through the reactivation of the SPM Special Duties role.
He said that the additional responsibilities of SPM, (Dr Jimmy Rogers), over the past six years, including leading the country’s efforts to successfully host the Pacific Games, chairing the National Provident fun, leading the broader coordination of the country’s Ministry of Health response during the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting in the country’s during the 2021 riot, assisting in the securing of financing for the first-ever joint elections and mobilising funding to support the Ministry of Finance both externally and domestically to name a few.
“Dr Jimmy stayed on this year at my request as Prime Minister,’’ said Manele.
“Sir Jimmy agreed to remain in 2025, but he requested that I consider appointing a new SPM to take on the normal role of the SPM so he can focus on other priorities and transformational agenda that this government wishes to drive and deliver which are outside the scope of the SPM’s core role.
“These roles include completing the audit process for the 2023 Pacific Games and having a table in Parliament, assisting in the arrangements and securing of finances to host international and regional events in 2025.
He said that Jimmy is very familiar with the forum meetings from his time at SPC and will work to ensure the meetings are resourced and convened successfully.
“Sir Jimmy will also focus on special projects such as the institutional houses for the heads of the three arms of government, the Prime Minister, Speaker of National Parliament and the Chief Justice, the design and building of the new OPMC headquarters building and continuing to support MOFT and the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination in mobilising resources for the government,’’ said Manele.
“Rodgers will also assist in internal government initiatives and coordination with other ministries. The new SPM will be the accounting officer for the OPMC similar to all PSS in all other ministries,’’ said Manele.
He said that the SPM’s special duties will focus on the areas outside of the SPM’s core role to ensure these are coordinated and implemented according to the government’s wishes.
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