DAME Jean Kekedo has been appointed and sworn in as the new Chairperson for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary’s (RPNGC) Police Promotions and Selections Board (PPSB) by the Minister for Police, William Gogl Onglo on Tuesday, June 22.
Minister Onglo thanked Dame Kekedo for accepting the offer to be the PPSB chairperson and welcomed her onto the Board with the challenge to select and promote police officers based on integrity and merit.
“Congratulations chairlady, we are privileged and also honored to have someone in your caliber to be the chairperson. We believe, in the next 12 months, you will manage the board with flair and lucidity,” Mr. Onglo said.
“Chairlady I want to remind you that this is a discipline force and we get a lot of criticism, we get a lot of challenges but human resource is the fundamental and is the foundation of this force and as such those who are coming up the rank and file must be properly assessed. They must have good disciplinary records, good punctuality records and show professionalism and leadership in what they do,” the Police Minister and Member for Kundiawa-Gembogl said.
“We can bring good police men and women up the rank and file if they are properly scrutinized, evaluated, assessed so that down the line we will develop more honest and committed senior ranking police officers.”
Dame Kekedo was pleased to be offered the chairlady position on the PPSB and on record to date, this makes Dame Kekedo the first women to be the chairperson including having more women on the board.
Another female in Acting Deputy Police Commissioner – Administration, Ms. Joanne Clarkson and ACP Highlands Eastern Division, Mr. Anthon Billie were sworn in by Dame Kekedo as assessors and Board members as well.
The Police Minister thanked the outgoing Board Members that was chaired by former Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Port Moresby, Reverend Sommy Setu.
The outgoing Board Members also included Assistant Commissioner of Police and Commander for Northern Divisional Command Peter Guinness and the Assistant Commissioner Management Service, Joab Mangae.