Ombudsman Bulu
The year 2019 was another successful year for the Office of the Ombudsman, particularly in reducing an overwhelming number of complaints received and dealt with over the years, amounting to backlog. In January 2019, the Ombudsman’s Office was investigating a total of 257 complaints. At the end of December 2019, the total number of registered complaints within the office was reduced to 142.
The Ombudsman of the Republic of Vanuatu has toured the northern part of the country conducting free awareness to the public and leaders.
Ombudsman Hamlison Bulu first conferred about the role of the Office of the Ombudsman within the society in Lakatoro, Malekula, and Municipal Council in Santo and later in Torba Provincial Council.
The Office of the Ombudsman has released today a Public Report on the Alleged Breaches of Chapter 3 Paragraph 2 of The Teaching Service Staff Rules by Sanma Regional Education Officers Including and Other Persons as delegated by PEO Primary Education and The Sanma Provincial Education Officer(s) to complete the Annual Confidential Reports for Mr Loress Ninisa for over a period of 20 years.
PC: Juanita Ravakae
Massive Congratulations to the Ombudsman’s Office Principal Investigator; Mrs. Dorah Leitap Samuel for being awarded as the best Individual PSC awardee under the Ministry of Prime Minister’s Office for her excellent performance last year 2018.
Dorah started work with the Ombudsman’s Office in 1998 as an Admin and Secretary/Accountant under the leadership of Marie-Noelle Ferrieux Patterson; First Ombudsman of the Republic of Vanuatu. In April 2005, she was identified as having skills in Investigations, so she was appointed to the post of Assistant Investigator.
Vanuatu’s New Ombudsman Mr Hamlison Bulu and a team from the Office of the Ombudsman completed an awareness program from the 24th to the 31st of July 2013 on the Island of Pentecost. The Team started the awareness on South Pentecost, moved on to Central Pentecost and then to North Pentecost.
The Week of Monday 1st of July to Friday 5th of July marks an important milestone for the Office of the Ombudsman. Staff members along with the outgoing Acting Ombudsman, Alain WAI MOLGOS undertook a review on the current structure of the office, a proposed new office structure, all job descriptions of senior managers and other officers, a review of the 2019 staff business plan and a also produced a draft office business plan and budget for the year 2020.
The Head of State, His Excellency President Obed Moses Talis has signed the Instrument of Appointed for Mr Hamilson Bulu to become the Country’s 6th Ombudsman. The Ombudsman Position has been vacant since December 2017. On March 14th 2014 the President appointed Mr Alain WAI MOLGOS to as Acting Ombudsman and Mr Molgos has been taking charge of the Ombudsman Office since then.
This marks an important occasion for both the two agencies; the Vanuatu Ombudsman Office and the Vanuatu Police Force as the Acting Ombudsman Mr. Alain WAI MOLGOS and the Acting Police Commissioner Colonel Robson Iavro, signed an MOU for both Institutions to work together in certain investigations and also facilitation by way of exchange of information between both agencies.
The Vanuatu Ombudsman’s Office, in collaboration with the Director and staff of the Department of Correctional Services, had successfully carried out a visit to all the Correctional Detention Centers in Port Vila on 05 April 2019. The visit came about after a two-days workshop conducted by the New Zealand Ombudsman Office in late March on Prison Inspections. The Ombudsman Team visited the High Risk Facility, the Medium Risk / Remand facility as well as the Low Risk facilities for both men and women.
On the 7th of May 2019, the Office of the Ombudsman delivered a Leadership Code Awareness presentation to the newly appointed Directors from over 20 Government Departments. It was part of the Induction Program for the Directors that was organized and staged by the Public Service Commission.
The Right to Information Act has a great benefit to assist the work of the Ombudsman in dealing with issues of Corruption and ensuring Transparency and Good Governance prevails in Vanuatu.
