European Development Fund

Former Vanuatu aid negotiator convicted for fraud

Victor Roy appeared in court this morning after he was found guilty of the charges, which relate to money from the European Development Fund.

The grant, signed a decade ago, was designed to fund a series of renewable energy projects on small islands in Vanuatu.

But the generators were deficient, power poles were defective, and several promised projects were never delivered.

A Commission of Inquiry found it was tainted by incompetence, cronyism and corruption at nearly every level and US$875,000 is still unaccounted for.

Inquiry finds misuse of EDF9 fund in Vanuatu

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported a total of US$2.5 million was allocated to Vanuatu, as part of the ACP-EU Energy Facility 1-European Development Fund 9, for three projects, specifically for Biofuel Projects in Vanua Lava in the Torba Province, Ambae in Penama Province and Malekula in Malampa Province.

According to a commission of inquiry report, the projects were declared complete in February 2017 for Torba and Penama Provinces, but were non-operational.

While the funding project for Malampa Province was almost used up, even though the project was never set up.