4 Apr 2005

Vanuatu appoints Taurakoto as new ombudsman

3:48 pm on 4 April 2005

A veteran Vanuatu politician, Peter Taurakoto, has been appointed the new ombudsman by President Kalkot Mataskelekele.

Mr Taurakoto, who comes from the small island of Lelepa, in North Efate, was chosen from a short list of six candidates for the five year contract.

The Port Vila Presse says he will becomes the third ombudsman in the country, replacing Hannington Alatoa from Ambae who ended his contract last June.

Iolu Abbil from Tanna, a former government minster, was appointed two months ago to take up the interim responsibility.

The first ombudsman was Marie-Noelle Ferrieux Patterson, who is now the president of Transparency International Vanuatu.