Two longstanding board members of one of the governments most influential agencies are stepping aside to make way for new blood.
Michael Henry, the chair of CIIC – the Cook Islands Investment Corporation – and fellow board member Malcolm Sword, have both recently tendered their resignations to the Minister responsible for CIIC – the Honourable Albert Nicholas, to allow director rotation and make way for new incoming directors, having each served 10 plus years on the CIIC board.
Malcolm Sword has been a board member for 12 years, and Michael Henry for 10; his resignation takes effect from the end of May, and Mr Swords term ended in April. The new chair for CIIC will be Fletcher Melvin; whom has been on the board now for just over two years.
New board members were appointed earlier in the year to bolster the Board numbers in anticipation of these changes include local businessman Arama Wichman, former cabinet minister Patrick Arioka and well known educator Sharyn Paio.
CIIC is responsible for providing and managing quality Crown assets and enterprises that serve the people of the Cook Islands.
Departing chair – Michael Henry – says ,“It’s been a privilege to serve on the board for the last decade, and to have contributed positively to the country’s growth. I think that of all the many great memories I can look back on during my 10 years two stand out for me. The first being the opportunity to carry on the journey started by my grandfather Sir Albert Henry when he shared his vision with the United Nations in 1974 of his country one day being able to harvest our oceans for poly-metallic nodules. The second aspect of my time as a director of CIIC that I look back on with pride is how over these 10 years some of our key staff members have grown to become leaders in their fields and recognized in both the private and public sectors as experts and true Cook Islands professionals that every day go above and beyond in their service to CIIC and the people of the Cook Islands.”
Malcolm Sword also says, “It’s been a privilege, and I’m grateful for the opportuniuty to have served on the board. I am confident that the CIIC I joined yesteryear and the one I left at the end of last month, with its current and new board members and management, is in a much stronger position to fulfil its duties than when I was warranted in 2011. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served on the Board , to contribute to the delivery of some great projects and initiatives in Rarotonga and the Pa Enua, and to serve our country during this period.”
Minister Nicholas said “he wanted to express his deep and sincere gratitude and thanks to both the outgoing chair Michael Henry and board member Malcolm Sword whom have had a truly profound and significant impact to the success of CIIC in recent years, delivering quality assets and oversight of its statutory corporation for the nation.” The Minister added that he would continue to seek advice from and was sure that both Michael and Malcolm would continue to contribute to the country in various capacities and in various forms into the future.
While thanking the two for their contribution to the great work CIIC is undertaking, Minister Nicholas has expressed confidence that it will continue with the replacement appointees. “They come with considerable experience which augers well for the ongoing development of our country.”
