Vanuatu PM promises more power for Ombudsman

Transcript

A former ombudsman of Vanuatu has welcomed signs from the new Prime Minister that the office will be strengthened under his watch.

The Prime Minister, Joe Natuman, says he wants to give new powers to the office to ensure his government is transparent and accountable.

Marie-Noelle Ferrieux Patterson was ombudsman from 1994 until 1999 and told Christopher GIlbert the office sorely needs the power to prosecute leaders.

MARIE-NOELLE FERRIEUX PATTERSON: Nothing was ever done to prosecute any leader. The only time there was one leader prosecuted it was wrongfully done and the leader basically had no consequences. So I think it is very welcome. The last Prime Minister, Moana Carcasses, also promised to give more power to the ombudsman. I've heard them saying that since 1997, 1998, so I hope this will be the year. But, again, in the end a lot depends on what the ombudsman or the prosecutor are willing to do. From 1994 to 1999 at some points I had even no Act because the parliament removed my Act in 1997 wanting to stop me from operating. Because I was appointed under the constitution I was able to continue and even on occasion, even though not prosecuting, I was able to expose what was going on. So, behind the powers is needed the willpower of the person to be active. If you have someone who is inactive, nothing will happen. So, it's a choice also of the ombudsman.

CHRISTOPHER GILBERT: But looking at the promises of Mr Natuman - and you mentioned promises by previous leaders which failed to happen - are Vanuatu politicians likely to support any measures to strengthen the ombudsman's office considering they will be the ones held to account?

MFP: Yeah, I mean in some ways they can give the power they want, they can appoint a person who will do nothing. Nothing will happen. So, I think politicians, unfortunately, have got different ways of handling that situation. The evidence it has been the strong political will to ensure they were not prosecuted. That is 20 years since the office of the ombudsman was created and we have never had one leader prosecuted. So I think it's the consequences of their action, whether it's by not increasing the power or choosing the person who is not really doing the job properly?

CG: What else is missing from that role that needs to be strengthened?

MFP: Maybe a leadership tribunal, maybe a systematic referral to the court because I think the leaders have respected court decisions. I think if we manage to bring the matter into court I think we might see something done. We wouldn't need much, we would need to have one or two or three leaders prosecuted properly and probably the whole mentality in a small country like Vanuatu would change. People, leaders would suddenly think 'yes something can happen, yes I better be careful'.

CG: And corruption will go down?

MFP: Yeah and corruption would go down. So I think that's why it's frustrating when you see nothing done, when you know that so little would need to be done.