Margaret Vagi Appointed New Acting PNG Electoral Commissioner as Sinai Reaches Retirement Age
PNG now has a new Acting Electoral Commissioner after Parliament was told that outgoing commissioner Simon Sinai has passed the compulsory retirement age of 60. Operations Director Margaret Vagi has been elevated to the role following a decision by the Electoral Commission Appointments Committee and confirmation by Prime Minister James Marape yesterday.
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| Margaret Vagi New Acting PNG Electoral Commissioner appointed as Sinai Reaches Retirement Age |
Mrs Vagi, a long-serving senior election administrator, steps in as preparations intensify for the 2027 national election. Mr Marape told Parliament that the Committee had relied on official records showing Sinai had already reached the age limit, which restricted his contract to only four years when he was appointed in December 2021.
The announcement came amid renewed scrutiny over conflicting records relating to Sinai’s exact age. His current term expires next month.
Madang MP Bryan Kramer said the Commissioner had provided three different birth years—1962, 1965 and 1968—across various documents. Kramer cited Personnel Management records listing Sinai’s birth date as 25 November 1962, which would place him beyond the retirement threshold.
He told Parliament that in October 2024 Sinai presented a new NID certificate stating 1965 as his birth year, followed by yet another certificate in 2025 indicating a 1968 birth year. Kramer said Sinai later insisted publicly that he was 57 and denied responsibility for the conflicting documents.
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| current Commissioner Simon Sinai |
Kramer, who chairs the Appointments Committee, questioned the legality of Sinai’s continued service.
“Section 14 bars anyone from acting after turning 60. With departmental records showing Mr Sinai was born in 1962, on what lawful authority does he continue to act?” he asked.
He also called on the Prime Minister to table all original departmental records, payroll data, driver’s licence details and the multiple NID certificates issued to Sinai.
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