The 2018 Director-General's Awards recognise the excellence and achievements of Pacific Community (SPC) staff. Teamwork, innovation, leadership, project delivery and individual contributions were recognised, with six awards were presented across three distinct categories.
“The annual awards recognise and reward the outstanding service and commitment of SPC employees who, often working behind-the-scenes, do our organisation and the Pacific region proud,” the Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga, said during the Awards ceremony at SPC headquarters in Noumea on Thursday 13 December 2018.
Two awards were presented under the Team Awards Category: including the Director General’s Award for Member Collaboration, which recognises excellence in collaboration between SPC and one or more Pacific Community member countries and territories, as evidenced by measurable results at the country or territory level.
Of the six teams nominated, the Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council Partnership Desk of the Geoscience, Energy and Maritime (GEM) Division came out victorious.
“We are a very big team to be recognised today and only two of us are now in Suva. We are fully dedicated and committed to this project in the countries. Some team members work on a daily basis in Tuvalu or the Marshall Islands. This award rewards a very mixed team and we are supported every day by the countries we work with and I want to thank them,” said Molly Powers, Coordinator, Ocean Intelligence.
The other award in the category, the Director General’s Award for Team Work and Innovation,celebrates just that – exceptional displays of team work and innovation that result in successful outcomes.
Out of the 15 nominations for this award, the Oceans and Maritime Programme scooped the second award for the GEM Division.
Andrew Jones, Director GEM, commended the scientific and innovative work of the Oceans and Maritime Programme while accepting the award on behalf of the team.
The next two awards were the Leadership Awards, one of which was the Jimmie Rogder’s Emerging Leaders Award. This award recognises an SPC staff member who is not currently in a leadership role, but through the course of 2018 demonstrated exceptional leadership action and behaviour that indicate the potential to assume a leadership role.
This award was presented to EQAP’s Anoj Sharma, who was one of the five candidates nominated for this award.
The Leadership Awards also included the Director-General’s Award for Project Delivery, which was designed for an SPC staff member who has displayed outstanding leadership in successfully delivering a complex project involving extensive management of donors, member countries and resources.
Out of the tough 14 nominations, Cecile Depuille of the Vanuatu Regional Office Melanesia came out victorious.
The final set of awards was the Individual Contribution Awards, which included the Director-General’s Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution. This recognises the work of any SPC staff member who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to SPC’s strategic plan.
John Hampton won this award for his work in the FAME Division over the years. 12 other staff were nominated for this award.
Moses Amos, Director FAME, accepted the award on John’s behalf.
“When the Oceanic Fisheries programme was created, it was a very small one. Today, the team has grown and I thank everyone for the work they do for the Pacific,” said Moses Amos.
The final award for the day was the Director-General's Award for SPC Values and Behaviours – for any SPC staff member who has consistently displayed an understanding, commitment and visibility to SPC Values and Behaviours.
Out of eight nominations, Sioeli Tonga from OMD was presented with this award.
The winners were chosen by a selection panel, composed of Directors from the Noumea and Suva campuses, the Staff Representative Committee Chairs and the HR Director. The selection panel’s decisions were unanimously endorsed by the executive.
The annual awards were supported by SPC’s banking partner, ANZ, which Colin thanks for their financial supports and long-standing relationship with SPC.
The 2018 Director-General’s Awards recognise and promote the excellent capabilities of its teams and staff, who work across 20 sectors in pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people.
