Jerry Wemin • 1st President at PNG HR Institute 1d • IS DENATIONALISATION OF CITIZENS HELD EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN PNG @51, ALSO MEAN LEADERSHIP DEPENDENCE? Many years ago, I terminated nearly 100 non-national employees in a single day. The decision was lawful, justified and necessary to create space for qualified Papua New Guineans. It prompted the Prime Minister of the day to ask: “Who is Jerry Wemin?” But removing expatriates was only half the job. We invested more than K1 million annually over 3–5 years in training, coaching, mentoring and preparing nationals to take over. My conviction has never changed: Papua New Guineans are capable, but capability must be deliberately developed, trusted and given opportunity. As PNG marks its 51st Independence Anniversary, we must confront an uncomfortable contradiction. In parts of both the private and public sectors, SOEs, listed companies and PNG-owned businesses, executive positions once held by nationals are increasingly being fi...