Vanuatu

The Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) confirmed that the office was set up with a system that connected Vanuatu to Interpol around the world.

VPF stated that three members from Interpol Singapore helped set up the office and an appointed police officer from VPF will manage the new office.

They also conducted specific trainings on regulations of Interpol, structures, functions and how the organisation can work with other agencies to tackle criminal activities.

VPF says that the new system will build a more proactive policing in Vanuatu.

The diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Vanuatu twice from 1991 and 1998 died after a long-term illness.

Mr Kalpokas was well-loved and considered a man of the people.

He was described as a true leader of Vanuatu, a humble person, very genuine kind and loving person who cared about people, particularly ordinary people.

He is one the founders of the Vanua'aku Party and served as the President of the party untill 2001 when he gave up the party leadership.

Mr Kalpokas served as the Speaker of the Parliament from May 2001 to May 2002.

The graduation is part of the Peace Corps 3/6 concept that allows communities to get three volunteers for a total of six years.

The  ceremony held at Eratap Centre School brought together teaching staff, the former and current school principal, the school chairman, the three host families and friends.

During the event, the programming and training specialist, Lensay Tambe emphasized the sustainability of projects carried out by the three volunteers.

TRBR confirmed that the announcement was made during the ICANN board meeting held in Japan last week.

TVL decided that their preference is to be a Registrar in the future, primarily so they may retain a direct relationship with their domain name customers.

TVL has been responsible for management of the .vu domain name for Vanuatu since its initial delegation on 10 April 1995.

The long-running dispute over the Matthew and Hunter Islands, which sit between New Caledonia and Vanuatu, flared again recently with the visit of a French warship.

The dispute has been going on for decades, and tempers flared when the French crew painted the tricolour flag on a large rock in January.

That led to calls for Vanuatu to expel French diplomats.

Vanuatu's foreign minister rejected those calls, instead calling for negotiations with Paris to resume.

The Director General of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Henry Vira presented the cheque to the Chairman of Tafea National Games Local Organising Committee (LOC), Acting Secretary General Etiene Ravo.

Mr Vira congratulated Tafea for having strong confidence to host the games despite the challenges.

He also reiterated the importance of working together as a team to bring the national sporting event to the province.

Mr Reganvanu was responding to calls from the opposition leader in Vanuatu, Ishmael Kalsakau, for the Charge d'Affaires to be expelled in order to send a clear signal to Paris over the Matthew and Hunter islands.

The small uninhabited islands are claimed by both Vanuatu and France which have been holding talks to agree maritime boundaries.

Mr Regenvanu said declaring the French diplomat "persona non grata" is not the right thing to do.

Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu met with his counterpart in Georgia last week,in the first visit from a Vanuatu Minister.

According to a release from Georgia's Foreign Ministry, Mr Regenvanu reaffirmed Vanuatu's support for Georgia's sovereignty.

The two sides also discussed illegal actions by Russia in its former occupied territories of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.

The two foreign ministers then signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday.

Mr Regenvanu is scheduled to hold meetings with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili.

The new signage is part of a wider package of assistance under the Santo Discovery Trail project, which aims to encourage greater visitor dispersal to local businesses and increase income-generating opportunities.
The project is funded by New Zealand in partnership with Sanma department of Tourism to assist with product development in rural areas.
Santo is the biggest island in Vanuatu with plenty different tourism sites and activities.

Photo supplied. Caption: New tourism sign board at east Santo

Vanuatu, Fiji and the Marshall Islands were added to the 28-nation list on Wednesday, joining Samoa, American Samoa and Guam.

The group countries have not yet been hit with economic sanctions but will face restrictions on transactions and reputational damage.

Mark Stafford, a partner at Port Vila consultancy Barrett and Partners, said Pacific nations would be hit hard by a potential trade block from the EU.