The Board of Directors of the Vanuatu Tourism Office (‘VTO’) has called onto the Office of the Ombudsman to deliver awareness about the role of leaders to everyone to all levels of the society and within all corners of Vanuatu.
The call was made when the CEO, Mrs Adele Aru made a request to the Ombudsman Office to carry out an Induction Workshop on the role of Leaders pursuant to Article 67 of Constitution and section 14 of the Leadership Code.
The Ombudsman team presented mainly on the duty and obligations of Leaders, Leadership Code obligations imposed by the Leadership Code Act on Board Members of VTO, the importance of knowing the responsibility of the position they hold, annual returns, penalties of annual returns and how board members of the VTO can assist the Ombudsman in its functions.
After the session, majority of the board members commented that they appreciate such presentation and now understand their roles and obligations as leaders when serving in the positions they hold. It also came to their attention that the Leadership Code was enacted by the Parliament to guide them in their positions as leaders and they assured they would help the office to speak up if there is any breach by their colleague leaders.
They also recommended that Ombudsman should take the same message across all Government Agencies and the Ministry of Tourism and Trade of course.
But despite all comments, they asked the Office to also talk with the Leaders in the Community level so that they also must know their duties and obligations according to the Constitution and the Leadership Code.
They also agreed that people who have been employed by conflict of interest or non-merit never performed in the required standard and that was one of the key reasons the country has been slept behind its own goals for decades.
Mrs Adela Aru, General Manager of VTO applauded the presentation delivered by the Officers of the Ombudsman claiming it was a very short notice but it covered what they were anticipating.
Principal and Acting Director Leadership Code, Mr Darval Simon on behalf of the Ombudsman also thanked the Chairman of the VTO Board of Directors, Mr Jacob George for the invitation, saying it’s rare for agencies within the government to invite the Ombudsman to run short awareness programs on the Leadership Code and responsibilities of Leaders pursuant to the Constitution and the Leadership Code Act.
Vanuatu Tourism Office is a statutory body and its General Manager, Chairman and board members are classified as Leaders pursuant to section 5(f) of the Leadership Code Act. Board Members of VTO represent provincial tourism councils and also other stakeholders within the tourism industry of Vanuatu.
