15 Jun 2010

Vanuatu ombudsman dimisses TI criticism

1:29 pm on 15 June 2010

Vanuatu's Ombudsman has dismissed criticism from Transparency International that he is not fulfilling his constitutional responsibility because his office rarely issues public reports.

In a media release, Transparency International says the new Ombudsman, Pasa Tosusu, should be putting out reports so his productivity can be measured and the public can made aware of alleged offences committed by the country's leaders.

It says the Ombudsman is constitutionally required to make public reports of matters he's involved in.

But Mr Tosusu says he, like his immediate predecessors, uses mediation techniques to resolve matters that are not of public interest.

But he says he takes a different approach to any alleged offence involving leaders.

"We would not mediate complaints over leadership issues. Those are issues we think the public should know [about] and we issue public reports. Leadership issues we don't mediate over those."