Former Deputy Chief Magistrate is new Ombudsman

NEWLY sworn-in Ombudsman, former Deputy Chief Magistrate Patrick Mark Wellington, has promised to resolve people’s problems as soon as possible.

Wellington, who was sworn in yesterday at the Diplomatic Reception Lounge in the Parliament building said he hoped his legal experience would assist him in this new venture. He was accompanied by his wife Rosalind.

“As ombudsman, one is chosen to resolve problems that individuals may have met in dealing with Government agencies and state agencies such as acts of omission and neglect. If the ombudsman’s office could resolve one problem a day, that would be five problems in a working week, 20 problems in a month, multiply that by 12 you may have 240 problems resolved.

“This may seem like a drop in the bucket given the myriad issues which come before the ombudsman, but I assure you the individual who comes before you, stressed out, that is not a minor issue to him,” he said.

Wellington said under his watch, his office would treat members of the public with courtesy and decorum, and promised he would do his duty with integrity, efficiency and a level of dispatch, and resolve people’s problems as soon as possible

He said one could not do this alone but need the support of staff and cooperation from Government departments and state enterprises.

At the end of the day it is not only the individual’s problem that is solved, this redounds to the benefit of the society. It makes for better efficiency in the various state departments.

Quoting proverbs, “hope springs eternal in the human breast”, “where there is life there is hope” and “the longest journey begins with the first step”, Wellington said every person must have a dream.

“Don’t say it is a Utopian fantasy to expect departments to work with more efficiency. Nothing is impossible. It is only the dead who don’t dream because they cannot. To dream means you’re alive. A man without dreams is not really living, he ‘s existing. He must have a dream. He must strive for something better.

“Everyone I know, somewhere along the line, would suffer undue delays with state agencies and you want things to be resolved as soon as possible. That is what we try to do, resolve problems in a timely manner. That is a good start,” he said.

Wellington said he hoped the ombudsman’s office could have a good relationship with the various Government agencies and state enterprises.