Vanuatu

The Finance Minister, Gaeton Pikioune, needs parliamentary approval for the budget of more than $US58 million.

The Daily Post newspaper said the bulk of this money is earmarked for the Ministry of Finance, with significant quantities for education and public works.

Several countries in the Pacific have recently banned fishing, after numbers collapsed to almost a fifth of earlier levels due to over-harvesting.

But Vanuatu's decision to again begin trade in the delicacy, also known as bech-de-mer, is leading to fears the government could kill off the important marine resource.

Steven Purcell is an associate professor at the National Marine Science Centre in Australia's Southern Cross University, and said the move by the Vanuatu government is risky.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) will implement the project.

The purpose of the project is to identify sustainable irrigation systems for vegetables production that promotes local agriculture resilience to the impacts of climate change, in particular the worsening of the effects of dry season.

Fexco Pacific is a silver sponsor of the 2019 Pacific Games where it will feature is very own brand of currency exchange service No1 currency.

"This sponsorship is a call to action for the business houses and corporates in Vanuatu, to highlight how the Pacific Games is a pivotal event that celebrates the best in sports from all our Pacific Island Countries," said Manji Timbaci, General Manager of Fexco Vanuatu.

The retail network of No1 currency across the key markets in the Pacific will promote awareness of the Games with creative merchandising of its locations.

The training participants were drawn from the Department of Vanuatu Meteorology, and Geo Hazard Department (VMGD), National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), Climate Change Department and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).

The workshop was based on the documents published by the PARTneR (Pacific Risk Tools for Resilience) and NDMO through SPC & NIWA Disaster Management Training Programme. The trainer’s workshop allowed the trainers to deliver the Risk tool and analysis. 

The airline introduced the policy in February but gave a six month grace period to passengers in the outer islands while the government's National ID Card programme was being rolled out.

Air Vanuatu's communications manager, Paul Pio, said he was confident most passengers would have some form of photo ID from next month.

They could use the National ID Card, the Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF) card, a passport, school ID or a company card, Mr Pio said.

Minister Napuat said the constituency allocation disbursement will now be done on a six-Monthly basis (January to June and July to December at an amount of VT500,000 per six month.

Previously it was VT250,000 per quarter.

“We anticipated that through this, more projects or developments to be undertaken and ease the cost issue of accessing funds” Mr Napuat said.

He said as the Minister responsible for Internal Affairs, he decided to put in place the changes to guide the councillors in spending the public funds.

The surveillance is to determine the extent of invasion of the coconut rhinoceros beetle that was first found on 20 May,2019.

Biosecurity Vanuatu confirmed that the coconut rhinoceros beetle is a pest of coconut and palm trees.

It is native to western Europe and Scandinavia but has spread into Africa, Asia and the Pacific islands.

In the Pacific region, the coconut rhinoceros beetle is known to occur in American Samoa, Fiji, Guam, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Wallis & Futuna.

There are two recognised strains of CRB: CRB-S type and CRB- G type.

The camp focused on training pairs of Peace Corps Volunteers and counterparts along with local community members in a variety of activities that they can take back to their respective villages and replicate for the youths in their communities.

Camp GLOW/BILD consists of a jam-packed, week-long schedule that starts with leadership and life skills and slowly transitions to adolescent reproductive health and sexual rights and responsibilities.

This comes after a person using a fake ID had abused the prime minister.

RNZI correspondent said the Government Chief Information Officer is now investigating fake Facebook IDs..

The prime minister's spokesman, Hilaire Bule, said people who make comments on Facebook are in breach of the country's laws will be prosecuted.

A lot of people with fake IDs on Facebook often target leaders with their frustrations and concerns.