The ground breaking ceremony for the approximately Vt10 billion Lapetasi Wharf project took place on Wednesday.
Around 500 strong Tannese men, women and children swooped in on Ifira wharf to begin the ground breaking ceremony of the Lapetasi Wharf Project in a gigantic Toka dance to welcome the new development of port facility for Vanuatu.
Swinging and clapping their hands and stomping their feet in unison, the men circled round and round, rushing in a human tide to the centre and then out again, sending clouds of dust in the air as the earth shook under their feet.
This was the second time for the chiefs of Tanna to allow their sacred Toka Dance to be performed on Efate after it was first performed on Independence Day on July 30 of 1980.
But it seemed everyone agreed that the gigantic dance was a fitting celebration to welcome the ground breaking ceremony of the Port Vila International Multi-Purpose Wharf Development better known as Lapetasi Wharf Project, at a total cost of approximately Vt10 billion of JICA Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) Loan.
Prime Minister Sato Kilman was joined by Chief Mantoi Kalsakau III and the JICA head, Toyoaki Isubo, as they jointly unveiled a plaque to mark the country’s biggest wharf development project.
In his official address, Mr Kilman said the project is undoubtedly the biggest wharf development in the country in the last 35 years.
He asked the JICA Office in Port Vila to convey the Government’s gratitude to Tokyo via the Japanese Embassy in Suva.
The Prime Minister said, “I would like to assure our major development partners, Japan and Australia that my Government is committed to the development initiative and I am monitoring its implementation closely to ensure that all construction works are going to be implemented and completed within the promised timeframe.
The project will be built by TOA Construction Company of Japan which won the tender.
The Prime Minister said the Government and Ifira Ports Development Services are committed to work together to make sure that repayment of the loan will be executed through a concession agreement to be signed by both parties shortly.
In addition he said, “Today I am proud to confirm that the infrastructure development initiative is going to provide immense opportunities to ensure that Vanuatu continues to grow to address the Priority Development Objectives of the Government of which Port Infrastructure is one”.
The Prime Minister praised IPDS which is one of Ifira’s Group of Companies saying, it is a classic example of an indigenous company which came forward willingly to become part of the Public Private Partnership Arrangement through which, it is going to repay the loan on behalf of the Government.
The Prime Minister sees the new wharf development as vital also to provide employment opportunities for ni-Vanuatu labour especially now after the destructive cyclone. “I salute the Government of Japan for recognizing the needs of the Government and people of Vanuatu and the region, and agreed to extend the current loan to make sure that the major port infrastructure development is completed as planned,” he said.