Changes have been made to the board of directors of Vanuatu’s national carrier, Air Vanuatu.
The changes were made known by the minister responsible for Air Vanuatu (Operations) Ltd, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas in a letter to the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Laloyer.
The prime minister advised that the shareholders of the company had decided on Thursday, 7 April 2016 to remove the directors of the company and appoint new directors.
The four directors removed were Johnson Naviti Marakipule, who is the director general to the Prime Minister’s Office, businessman and motor car dealer, Thierry Jean_Yves Bouheois, Director of the Trade Department, Marakon Alilee, Bank officer, Jerry Ishmael, and the Director General of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, Letlet August.
Minutes of the meeting of the shareholders showed the termination of the board members of Air Vanuatu was made through a resolution that was passed in in accordance with Article 97 and 98 of the Memorandum and Article s of Association of Air Vanuatu (operations) Limited, and subsection 43 (2) and Section 34 of the Companies Act No 25 of 2012.
Meanwhile, the shareholders of the airline, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Joe Natuman, and the Minister for Finance and Economic Management, Gaetan Pikioune, have appointed a new board of directors.
The new board members are local businessman, Joseph Tamata, former Minister of Finance and Economic Management, Maki Simelum who is a former MP for Vanuatu party who lost his seat in the last election, and Nagriamel president John Lum who also lost his seat in the last snap election.
In February this year, Air Vanuatu’s brand new B737-800 “Sky Interior” equipped with the latest technology arrived in Vanuatu and its Chief Executive Officer Joseph Laloyer said he is confident it will appeal to the customers flying with Air Vanuatu as from the next day after arrival on February 3, 2016.
But a government insider who has asked for anonymity says the termination of the previous board of directors came following concerns that Air Vanuatu’s financial status has not improve.