Prime Minister Sariboh Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas has terminated the Board of Directors of Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation and appointed new members.
The new board chairman is Johnety Jerety from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade who is nominated by the Union of Moderate Parties.
Jerety succeeds Vanua’aku Pati’s nominee, Jennifer Kausei who is now an ordinary member of the board.
Other new members are the CEO for Transparency International Vanuatu, Wilson Toa, veteran journalist with the Independent Newspaper, Gratien Tiona, former Radio Vanuatu journalist Aristide Meltecoin, former marketing officer of VBTC, Alex Steven and veteran Greens Confederation politician, Iarris Naunun.
Prior to the issuant of the termination letters to the old board members, Prime Minister Sariboh Tabimasmas met with the members and listened to their reasons for challenges faced by VBTC particularly in terms of financial difficulties.
But the prime minister said he was particularly concerned over the long delay by the VBTC board and management to restore VBTC transmission to all islands of Vanuatu.
He said for far too long, people in the islands lacked the necessary vital information to equip them during natural disasters, health advisory messages, and how to develop their lives. And because they couldn’t get those messages, the government had to expend from its budget on regular trips to the islands to disseminate the information.
While radio is considered the main medium for information dissemination, the issue of remoteness and coverage has been challenging. This often results not only in a lack of information but also in misinformation when no official source reaches remote communities.
And that could explain why Prime Minister Sariboh Salwai Tabimasmas did not mince his words when he said he wants to see Radio Vanuatu reception reache the islands and for Television blong Vanuatu (TBV) to be viewed in the islands as soon as possible.
The troubled VBTC management had also encountered ongoing disputes with staff over late salary payments that eventually ended up in two senior staff being sacked last month.
Both Radio Vanuatu, Television Blong Vanuatu and Paradise FM are components of the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation.