Vanuatu

Vanuatu's Luganville wharf "geopolitically risky" - report

A new report has built on security fears reported last year that the wharf could be used as a naval base by China.

The concerns came in a recent review of China's Belt and Road initiative by researchers at thinktank the Center for a New American Security.

Scrutiny of the China-funded wharf revamp in Luganville last year prompted Vanuatu to strongly deny reports it could be taken over by Beijing.

Vanuatu's government was also forced to disclose there was no debt-swap agreement in the deal.

Bangladeshis trafficked to Vanuatu want resettlement in New Zealand or Australia

The migrants were brought to Vanuatu over the past two years by a businessman who they claim tortured and enslaved them on arrival.

Rights groups said four people had been charged with trafficking and are before the Vanuatu Supreme Court.

A spokesperson for the migrants, Shahin Khan, said they would rather be resettled than work in Vanuatu, where there was a shortage of jobs for locals.

Mr Khan said among the group were chefs, electricians, plumbers and other technical experts who could benefit New Zealand and Australia.

Bangladesh to assist trafficking victims in Vanuatu

A home ministry official, Abu Bakar Siddique, said a team from Bangladesh's nearest high commission in Australia would arrive in Vanuatu soon.

Mr Siddique said they would verify the nationality of the men in the first step towards taking them home.

The migrants were brought to Vanuatu over the past two years by a businessman who they claim tortured and enslaved them on arrival.

Rights groups say four people have been charged with trafficking and are before the Vanuatu Supreme Court.

Sports Diplomacy 2030 launched in Vanuatu

During the launch Ms Da Rin said Vanuatu will also benefit from the new sports diplomacy strategy.

The Australian ‘Sports Diplomacy 2030’, is a new sports diplomacy strategy that was launched in Australia by the Foreign Minister on 1 February 2019.

“Through the new strategy, sporting organisations will be able to partner with civil society and the private sector in the Indo-Pacific to find innovative ways to tackle social issues”.

The programme will work specifically to empower women, strengthen disability inclusion and create leadership pathways.

Vanuatu on track with curriculum reform

This follows more than eight years of perseverance by the Ministry of Education to harmonise the two school systems.

The two systems, which differed in many ways – from the language of instruction to the curriculum’s design and content – have been an immense challenge for the island nation since its independence.

There are 71 Anglophone (English-speaking) and 33 Francophone (French-speaking) schools in Vanuatu.

Commonwealth Foundation helps Further Arts to continue supporting Vanuatu artists after 2015 disaster

The category five cyclone ravaged Vanuatu, destroying or damaging 90% of buildings in the nation’s capital. Among them was Nesar Studio, which is part of Further Arts and is known for the vital support it provides to local artists, musicians and the creative industry in Vanuatu.

Further Arts refurbished Nesar Studio with a grant of £20,000 from the Commonwealth Foundation.

The funding made it possible to re-equip the studio with laptops, cameras and audio-recording equipment.

Former Vanuatu civil servant convicted of fraud

Samuel Namuri was convicted of three counts of financial advantage by deception and one count of theft.

He was also convicted of defrauding the government of customs revenue and carrying out business without a licence.

Namuri was the director when Vanuatu contracted China Engineering Construction Corporation for a massive road project on Tanna.

The corporation bought a Toyota Landcruiser for the department, which was meant to be used to supervise the road project.

But Namuri kept it in Port Vila and used it as his personal vehicle.

Vanuatu’s Northern Provincial Hospital hosts health week

The health week started on Monday with a parade from Luganville main town to the event centre at the Northern Provincial Hospital grounds.

The theme of the health week is ‘Sustaining Health through Unity’

According to the organisers various topics like communicable disease, non-communicable disease and nursing career pathways will be discussed.

The highlight is a panel discussion on Friday about the increase in NCD cases.

 

Photo supplied Caption: Health awareness posters on display in a booth at Northern Provincial Hospital.

 

Former French ambassador to Vanuatu free amid New Caledonia assault probe

Mr Judes was questioned in Noumea by police before meeting two of his accusers as part of the investigation.

No charges have been laid.

A senior New Caledonian businesswoman Cherifa Linossier whose allegations became public in February declined to comment.

The foreign ministry sacked him last month but he rejects the allegations, saying there may a plot against him.

Ms Linossier said seven other women reported to her that they were also harassed by him.

 

     

Bats of Vanuatu exhibition in Port Vila

The one-week exhibition started Monday, 8 April and will end on Saturday, 13 April 2019.

The exhibition is part of the project called ‘Conservation of the Endemic Flying Foxes of Torba and Temotu in Vanuatu and Solomon islands.

The project focuses on three species of threatened flying foxes, Banks flying fox in Vanuatu, Temotu flying fox and Vanikoro flying fox in Solomon Islands.

The VESS has confirmed that part of the project is an expedition to the islands where these species of threatened flying foxes occurred.