Technical advisers and management staff involved in the Vanuatu project: Back row (from left): Technical Advisers
Alan Clarke,Archie Jacobs and Angela Whibley-Smith, with Senior Probation Officer Daniel Tavoa. Middle row (from left):
Probation Manager Ben Moli, Technical Advisers Terry Easthope, Warwick Duell, and Chris King. Front row (from left):
Correctional Centre Managers Wilson Garae and Michael Taun, Director Morris Kaloran, Corporate Support Officer Gina Kalnpel,
and Senior Probation Officer Jean-Pierre Tom.
Staff from Corrections in New Zealand have been immersed in life on Vanuatu for more than a year - learning the language of Bislama and local customs. They are part of a New Zealand Government funded project, via NZAID, that supports development in the Pacific Islands.
The team of mostly probation staff have been helping Vanuatu ‘bed in’ a new Department of Correctional Services. Project Manager Warwick Duell, formerly Regional Manager CPS, and Lawrence Tawera, the National Adviser of Māori Service Development for Community Probation & Psychological Services (CPPS), initially worked with the Vanuatu Task Force in 2005 to develop a new community justice system.
In April 2006, a further team of four was seconded from New Zealand Corrections to operate as technical advisers to the Vanuatu Correctional Services Project, in conjunction with NZAID. They were Alan Clarke, CPPS Service Manager for Nelson; Archie Jacobs, a secondment from head office; and Angela Whibley-Smith, a senior probation officer from Hastings. Chris King, Regional Prisoner Services Manager for the southern region of Prison Services; and Terry Easthope, a former staff member of Corrections in New Zealand, also joined the project as a correctional centre adviser.
Alan says the project has been an “amazing experience”.
“The training, information structures and guidance provided by our technical advisers to the local ni-Vanuatu staff, have been reciprocated with the sharing of knowledge, kastom (traditional practices), acceptance and humour.”
Formerly the New Hebrides, the country gained independence in 1980 from joint government by England and France. Vanuatu is a sub-tropical archipelago of 83 islands in the South Pacific, and is a three hour flight away from New Zealand and Australia. With a total population of around 200,000, the main centres are Port Vila on the island of Efate, and Luganville on the island of Santo. Vanuatu is a developing country with limited infrastructure development in the outer islands.
Before the Correctional Services Act was passed in August 2006, Vanuatu’s prisons were managed by Police and were in poor condition. The New Zealand team advised on how to upgrade prison services, as well as establishing community-based sentences. The new sentences were able to be imposed from March this year, with an Offender Management System database going live in June.
A new correctional centre is planned for 2008.
By October this year, 108 communitybased and parole sentences were being managed, and the country’s correctional centres housed 130 prisoners.
While there are more than 100 different languages spoken, the national language is Bislama. Alan says the New Zealand team had to learn the local language, and kastom, as traditional practices are very strong in Vanuatu. Chiefs play an important part in the maintaining peace through kastom reconciliation ceremonies. The new department focuses on a community justice model, and supports kastom reconciliation practices. The Act allows for the use of ‘Community Justice Supervisors’, including chiefs, to supervise offenders on community work, supervision and parole.
A much smaller team of technical advisers is to continue training and providing support in Vanuatu until June 2008. Other advisors will work on short term secondments. It is expected there will be opportunities for secondment to New Zealand for four of the new probation staff employed by the Vanuatu department.
The project has received positive feedback for the work undertaken by Corrections staff, with particular reference being made to their commitment and enthusiasm.
Got a story for Corrections News or want to request the print edition?
Email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365.
ISSN 1178-8453