By MICHAEL RICKY GUBA
THE newly appointed head of the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), Ms Debra Sungi, expresses confidence in guiding the organization to new heights.
She aims to establish a benchmark by diligently working towards achieving key priority areas during her term in office.
Sungi clarified that her appointment to the acting Managing Director position is only three months. In light of this, she has pinpointed three key areas on which she will concentrate her efforts.
Top of Form
“First and foremost, we will work towards ensuring that we establish a Climate Change Management Board. In my term, I would like to ensure that we convene the first board meeting to start off the process and ensure that the board is effective,” she said.
“I would like to commend the outgoing Acting Managing Director, Mr William Lakain, for doing a wonderful job in ensuring that we go ahead with the process of amending the Climate Change Management Act 2015 (CCMA), which now allows us to have a full composition of the board.
“The board will be responsible for overseeing and guiding CCDA, providing strategic direction to ensure CCDA’s coordination roles are effective in responding to climate change.
“My second key priority area is to ensure that we carry out a revenue generation exercise through carbon trading and climate change infrastructures. We have over the years relied on development partners for funding but implementing agencies implement the funding. So, most times we are left with whatever we can get, and it has been a huge challenge for the authority over the years.”
Sungi said that according to the Climate Change Management Act, CCDA possesses the potential to mobilise domestic resources by generating revenue from carbon tax, carbon fuel fertilizers, etc.
She emphasised that her third priority is to undertake a restructure within the organisation, establishing two or three additional divisions primarily aimed at enhancing revenue generation and leveraging funding mechanisms to push CCDA forward.
Sungi’s appointment by the National Executive Council last week raised a lot of negative criticisms on social media due to her family ties with her father, who is senior politician. She said her appointment was merit-based and went through all the proper processes.
“I want to commend our Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate, the Hon Simo Kilepa for having trust in me and my other female colleague in the process of shortlisting us for the top post,” Sungi stated.
“The process of my appointment took almost a year since June 2023, which saw four of us being shortlisted.”
Sungi said nepotism or “wantok system” as we refer to in PNG is known to plague the public service and most organizations in PNG that now its instilled in people’s mind.
“Over the years, the idea of nepotism or wantok system has been implanted in our minds that most people are where they are because of whom they know.”
“This is an ideology that will degrade our own country men and women even when some have progressed on their own and made their way up to be who they are.”
With over 12 years working experience within CCDA Sungi has contributed immensely to the organization since she was employed in as an intern back in 2012 when she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in in Social Works and Public Policy from the University of Papua New Guinea.
Before her appointment, Sungi served as the Acting General Manager for CCDA’s Measurement, Reporting, Verification (MRV), and National Communication Division, a role equivalent to that of a director. Prior to this, she held the position of Manager for CCDA’s MRV Branch for three years. With a tenure spanning 12 years since 2012, Sungi has made significant contributions at various levels within CCDA, starting just two years after the establishment of CCDA, formerly known as the Office of Climate Change.
Sungi, prior to her appointment, served as the Acting General Manager for CCDA’s Measurement, Reporting, Verification (MRV), and National Communication Division, a position equivalent to that of a director. Before this, she held the role of Manager for CCDA’s MRV Branch for three years, contributing at various levels within CCDA for 12 years since 2012, just two years after the establishment of CCDA, formerly the Office of Climate Change.
During her career, Sungi was part of the CCDA management team that have collectively achieved a lot not only domestically but also internationally having signed agreements with donor partners and bilateral partners.
She stated that as a result of those achieves, CCDA now boasts bilateral agreements with the government of Singapore, Japan and the United Arab Emirates to invest in climate Change mitigation and adaptation efforts, which are poised to materialize soon.
The 30-year-old mother of one said that excelling in management as a woman has been a bit challenging for her, but with her experience, she has overcome the odds to reach her current position.
When asked about how she can serve as a role model for young women in both the public and private sectors, Sungi said that it’s time for women to take leadership roles at the top level and drive change through their decision-making.
“I’ve seen a lot of women progressing in the private sector but that has not been the case in the public service. This type of practice will drag us down as a nation,” she said.
“My message to the young career women out there is to stay focused as everyone is equal. Do your job diligently, perform to management expectations and go home to your family.”
Sungi also thanked Mr William Lakain – who held the position before her appointment – for his dedication to the organisation, as well as to the staff for their collective efforts.
