Port Vila, Vanuatu – April 7, 2025 – A full-day training session took place for Principal and Senior Correctional Officers from Port Vila, focusing on performance management and the Public Service appraisal system. The training aimed to equip officers with essential skills to better assess and improve staff performance.

Fourteen participants from the Port Vila Correctional Centre took part in the session, with many attending their first formal training on performance appraisals. The morning session, led by Ann Sharon Pakoa Capacity Development Coordinator MJCS and Frank Andeng, Senior Human Resource Officer from the Department of Correctional Services, covered the fundamentals of performance management. In the afternoon session, Claudia Naviti, Principal Human Resource Officer at MJCS, facilitated a session focused on completing and reviewing appraisal forms.

The training highlighted the challenges officers face, such as the lack of guidance on Public Service Commission forms and the absence of necessary equipment like computers. Officers also expressed the need for better feedback from the Department of Correctional Services on their submissions. In response, the Department assured them that feedback will be provided moving forward.

This session marks a significant step in addressing the long-standing need for refresher courses and is part of the Ministry of Justice’s business plan for the year. Additional training sessions will be held throughout the year for provincial officers, covering vital areas like Planning, Finance, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Human Resources.

The training is a crucial step in strengthening Vanuatu’s correctional services and ensuring officers are well-equipped to support and manage their teams effectively.