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Foreign Services (Amendment) Act 2014

REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
FOREIGN SERVICES (AMENDMENT) ACT NO. 15 OF 2014

Arrangement of Sections

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REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
Assent: 19/06/2014
Commencement: 25/06/2014

FOREIGN SERVICES (AMENDMENT) ACT NO. 15 OF 2014

An Act to amend the Foreign Services Act No. 20 of 2013.

Be it enacted by the President and Parliament as follows-

1 Amendments
The Foreign Services Act No. 20 of 2013 is amended as set out in the Schedule.

2 Commencement
This Act commences on the day on which it is published in the Gazette.

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SCHEDULE
AMENDMENTS OF FOREIGN SERVICES ACT NO. 20 OF 2013

1 Section 1 (Definition of Honorary Consul)
After “21(1)”, insert “or 21A(1)”

2 After section 21
Insert

“21A Appointment of Honorary Consul under the Consular Program

(1) The Minister, on the approval of the Council, is to appoint a person as Honorary Consul under the Consular Program of the Government of Vanuatu.

(2) A person must not be appointed as Honorary Consul under this section unless:

(a) the person is qualified and capable of carrying out the functions of a Honorary Consul; and

(b) the person must be committed to work in partnership with the Government in ensuring the interests and priorities of the Government are met; and

(c) the person has no record of criminal conviction; and

(d) the person has no bankruptcy records inside or outside Vanuatu; and

(e) the person contributes at least US$350,000 to the Vanuatu Government to be used for funding any of the following:

(i) a Vanuatu overseas mission; or

(ii) a Vanuatu Government Approved Project; and

(f) the person agrees to generate at least 60 international company sales through an authorised agent of the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission; and

(g) the person agrees to promote tourism and investment for Vanuatu abroad; and

(h) the person has undergone the probity checks by the Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and is recommended by the Director as suitable for this appointment.

(3) A Honorary Consul appointed under this section is to hold office for a period of 5 years and is eligible for reappointment.

(4) To avoid doubt, sections 22, 24, 25, 26 and 27 apply to a Honorary Consul appointed under this section.

21B Honorary Consul not a Public Office
To avoid doubt, the office of a Honorary Consul under section 21 or 21A is not a public office.”