Vanuatu

The Daily Post newspaper reported in announcing the support the High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Jonathan Schwass said New Zealand will be providing officers to equip the Vanuatu Police Force with expertise to address the rising problem of crime in communities.

He said the three officers will be flying in soon to help the force in specialist areas.

Mr Schwass said New Zealand is now looking to extend cooperation by providing additional support to the force and significantly stepping-up their defence assistance.

The 28-nation list was set up in December 2017 in a bid to crackdown on tax avoidance by corporations and wealthy individuals.

Tax jurisdictions alleged to be not complying with EU regulations face restrictions on transactions with the bloc and reputational damage.

The Pacific countries which were given a year to change their tax rules, join Samoa, American Samoa and Guam on the blacklist.

They issued a statement after the pro-independence FLNKS movement restated its position that Matthew and Hunter islands belonged to Vanuatu's heritage.

The three said last November's independence referendum showed a majority of New Caledonians wanted to stay French.

They said they would therefore oppose any attempt to dispossess the country of part of its land and wealth.

FLNKS leader Daniel Goa said unlike the people of Vanuatu, the Kanaks had no cultural links to the two islands.

The contract was signed by Minister for Internal Affair, Andrew Napuat and representatives of Shem Construction Company.

Mr Napuat reiterated the government’s decentralisation policy to ensure ease of access and fair distribution of services for all citizens of Vanuatu.

He expressed gratitude to UN Women for continuously supporting the empowerment of the people of Vanuatu by taking services to provincial and municipal levels of governance.

The exporters are Vanuatu Cocoa and Copra Exporters Limited (VCCE) and Commodity Corporation Pty Ltd (C-CORP) and Alternative Communities Trade in Vanuatu (ACTIV) Association.

ACTIV produces chocolate from cocoa beans bought from local farmers. Vanuatu cocoa beans are exported to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Twenty-five percent of rural households in Vanuatu are involved in cocoa production.

Most cocoa is produced by smallholder farmers based in the northern islands.

Both France and Vanuatu claim the two uninhabited islands whose ownership has been the subject of negotiations between the two countries' governments.

Last week, Vanuatu summoned French diplomats after reports that the French navy had visited the island in January and painted a French flag on a rock.

Ten years ago, an FLNKS leader Victor Tutugoro signed a document with the Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei stating that the islands belonged to Vanuatu.

During a French naval mission to the small uninhabited islands in January, France reportedly took action to re-enforce its sovereignty, when officers landed, polished a plaque and painted the French flag on a rock.

Johnny Koanapo, who has represented Vanuatu's claim in talks with France, said the unilateral move complicated the negotiations.

"We, the people of Vanuatu, will not take this lightly. We are very concerned and we want France to give a proper explanation," he said.

The programme started in March 2018 with 15 clients.

The local handicraft are produced by the weavers of Vetimboso village in west Vanualava and Motalava.

Most of their sales are distributed through the Torba Handicraft Co-operative (THC) to wholesalers mainly in Port Vila targeting a niche market with top quality products from Torba province.

"There is a high opportunity for Torba products to be sold in tourists destination such as Port Vila markets.”

25 people have been registered in the THC as co-operative members.

The stimulation exercise covered areas 1, 2 and 3 and over 300 residents including school children and resorts in these areas participated.

The main objective of the stimulation exercise was to test the tsunami siren and responsiveness of the Pango community to the siren.

"With this simulation exercise we intend to train the school and resorts, the Pango community Disaster Climate Change Committees and the overall coastal community within the 3 targeted areas of Pango village to prepare should there be any tsunami warning in the near future"

They will be joined in the last eight by Fiji's Ba FC, who beat Kiwi FC 5-1 to leapfrog Erakor into second place in the group thanks to their superior goal difference.

With their qualification destiny out of their hands, Ba FC's main goal was to ensure they do their part by defeating Kiwi FC before hoping for Team Wellington to do them a favour by overcoming Erakor at Port Vila's Korman Stadium.