Page 44 - IB April 2021

People People

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Cook Islands Investment Corporation has the new Deputy General Manager for Processing,
appointed Vaine Wichman to the board of Hillary Turnamur is Manager Process Operations,
water supply utility To Tatou Vai Limited (TTVL) Beverly Pasen is Finance Manager, Reuben
and Donald Buchanan to the board of energy Lapin is Manager Business Continuity, David
provider, Te Aponga Uira O Tumu Te Varovaro Laulau is Manager Mine Technical Services and
(TAU). Wichman has broad board experience finally, Dexter Wagambie is Manager Kiunga
and has worked extensively in government and Operations
private consultancy roles.
The Territorial Bank of American Samoa
A reshuffle in the Solomon Islands government has appointed Danielle King as its new Chief
where Former Minister of Justice and Legal Financial Officer. King was formerly with
Affairs, Makario Tagini is the new Minister for Bluesky, and was with the American Samoa
Vaine Wichman
Public Service. Frederick Kologeto is the new Power Authority prior to that.
Minister for Commerce, Industries, Labour, and The Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce
Immigration and Former Minister of Commerce, and Industry (SICCI) has elected Ricky Fuo’o,
Industries, Labour, and Immigration Clezy Rore General Manager of Tropic Group Builders
has been reassigned to the Ministry of Justice as Chairman. Returning Board Members are:
and Legal Affairs.
Qila Tuhanuku (Vice Chairlady) of Solomon
To’oto’oleaava Dr Fanaafi Aiono-Le Tagaloa Breweries, Frank Wickham from National
is the new Director of the University of the Fisheries Development, Bob Pollard from KPSI &
South Pacific’s Samoa campus. To’oto’oleaava Pasifiki HR, Craig Gibsone of Guadalcanal Plains
is a former head of the Samoa International Palm Oil and Daniel Tucker of Kramer Ausenco.
Finance Authority and legal scholar. She They are joined by new members Namoi
replaces replacing Dr Joeli Veitayaki. Kaluae of Adkonect & Pacific Tenders and Kazi
Mushfiqur Rahman, General Manager at SITCO.
A leading expert in Pacific laws and legal
systems, and frequent consultant to the Cook Islands Te Marae Ora Health ministry
Donald Buchanan Vanuatu government, Professor Don Paterson has appointed Dr Anura Jayasinghe as public
has died. Professor Paterson was appointed health specialist, to help with measures to
Professor of Public Administration at USP meet Covid-19, non-communicable diseases
Laucala Campus in 1979 and later became and mental health. Dr Jayasinghe hails from
the Vice Chancellor of the University. In 1997, Sri Lanka and has worked in Australia and New
Professor Don was awarded the distinction of Zealand.
Emeritus Professor.
In CNMI, the organising committee for the
There’s a changing of the guard at two of Pacific Mini Games 2022 has appointed Vicente
Fiji’s prominent publicly listed companies. (Ben) Babauta Jr as chief executive officer
Sanjay Punja is the new CEO of Atlantic & for the June 2022 games. Babauta served as
Pacific Packaging Company, and the new assistant general manager of operations for
Managing Director of FMF Foods and The Rice DFS Saipan and brings 33 years of experience in
Company of Fiji. Punja was previously CEO business operations to the CEO position.
of all three companies in the 1990s -2009. Rosa Toloa is Tokelau’s new Director of
His return comes as Ram Bajekal steps down
Don Paterson as Managing Director of the companies. Health. Toloa is a trained nurse with a Social
Policy degree from Wellington’s Victoria
Meanwhile Jenny Seeto has been appointed University and post graduate awards from Otago
as an Independent Director of the FMF, The and Massey universities.
Rice Company of Fiji, and Atlantic and Pacific
Packaging Company, and will Chair their Audit A new Yap Visitors Bureau Board of Directors
and Finance Sub-Committees. And at FMF has been appointed, consisting of Anthony Jr.
Foods, Hari Punja has stepped down as Director Tareg (Yap), Hanspeter Gsell (Switzerland), Lee
and Chairman, as “part of succession planning” Weber (Guam), Lubuw Falanruw (Hawaii) and
at the firm. Ram Bajekal is the new Chair. Jerry Beaty (Kansas).
The Vanuatu Women’s Centre has appointed Australia’s new High Commissioner to Kiribati,
Tatavola Matas as its new Coordinator, replacing David Yardley has arrived in Tarawa. Yardley
founder Merilyn Tahi. Matas has been Deputy was most recently Counsellor at Australia’s
Coordinator at the centre for seven years. Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New
York. He previously served overseas in Kabul,
Ok Tedi Mining Company has announced a and on secondment with the UK’s Foreign and
Tatavola Tamas number of new appointments. Isaac Kwetok is Commonwealth Office, London.

44 Islands Business, April 2021