Today marked the first official visit of Prime Minister Hon. Jotham Napat to the National Broadcasting House of Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC).

Prime Minister Napat, who represents Tanna Constituency and serves as Prime Minister of the 14th Legislature, described the visit as an important milestone for the national broadcaster.

During his visit, the Prime Minister toured VBTC’s main departments Radio, Television, News and Marketing to gain firsthand insight into its operations and progress. He acknowledged the broadcaster’s development since undergoing a major reform in 2017.

“I am amazed at the progress that VBTC is currently undertaking since the reform in 2017. There are many new programs and developments across different areas,” Hon. Napat said.

The reform process, now in its 9th year, has enabled VBTC to clear significant debts totaling over 800 million vatu and settle legal cases costing more than 50 million vatu. One major ongoing challenge is the absence of a dedicated capital budget to support operations.

With a workforce of more than 80 staff, VBTC today stands in a stronger position compared to nine years ago.

Prime Minister Napat also highlighted one key reform initiative currently in progress — the establishment of a Media Academy to train and attract young people into the media profession.
“It is another area that is part of the reform, to attract young people to be part of the media,” he said.

Previously reporting directly to the Office of the Prime Minister, VBTC will now operate under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, following the passage of the new State-Owned Enterprise Bill by Parliament.

Chairman of the VBTC Board, John Tao, welcomed the Prime Minister’s visit and said he was pleased with the government’s positive feedback.