However, the sections of the Act referring to liquidation is activated to wind up the affairs of the Board.

Over the past years VCMB catered for the need of farmers dealing with prescribed commodities.

However, as years passed and with the continuous instability within the country’s governments, it has been criticized for poor performances and failure to operate within its full capacity in overseeing the trade and marketing values within the country especially when it comes to exportation.

Reports however suggest that political interference made the institution slide away from its main purpose.

VCMB back then was the sole exporter of the prescribed commodities such as copra, cocoa; purchase, grade and export prescribed commodities: also assist in the development of the prescribed commodities industry as well as stabilize commodity prices.

In 2016, following a probe of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Luganville, findings placed VCMB high on the most corruption-affected government institutions.

PAC’s inquiry into the activities conducted by VCMB proved a recent statement by the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trades, Joe Natuman, who back then commented that politicians should be blamed for the downfall of VCMB.

During its inquiry, PAC was alerted to the fact that VCMB had lost one of its properties simply because the land title was allegedly transferred to another person.

It is alleged that the current transferee claimed that he had spent Vt7 million to pay for entitlements of staff working for Vanuatu Coconut Product Limited (VCPL), a VCMB subsidiary business, and as payment he decided to take over the property in return.

At that time, VCMB received no grant from the Government but generates income from Export Commission and the Exporter Fees from exporters in the country.

VCMB board members appointees were politicized resulting in the misuse of funds and the downfall of the institution.

Last year in July, the current caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism, Industry, Commerce and ni-Vanuatu Business, Jotham Napat dismissed all four members of the Vanuatu Commodities Marketing Board (VCMB) in Luganville after receiving a report from the VCMB Chief Executive Officer on the challenges facing the company.

It was then that the DPM and the current caretaker Minister of Agriculture, Matai Seremiah including their Directors General and Directors agreed that far too much political interference in the running of the public company’s affairs has contributed to its poor performance and downfall.

It was also heard that the VCMB needs an immediate upgrading of its operations.

During the launching of the opening of the first ever Vanuatu Primary Producers Authority (VPPA) office earlier this month in Port Vila, the caretaker Minister of the Ministry Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB), Mr Seremaiah, in his remarks confirmed that the VPPA will now take over the responsibilities and duties of VCMB over the alleged performances relayed over the past years.

Source: Daily Post