Vanuatu

The chair of the Public Service Commission, Martin Mahe, said the hospital will open from eight in the morning until midnight on Saturday and Sunday for a month from next week.

The Daily Post newspaper reported the trial could be replicated in other provincial hospitals.

Mr Mahe said the exercise will address the systemic issue of accessibility to affordable and quality healthcare.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs met with their Australian counterparts about strengthening the Pacific Labour Scheme programme in the interest of both the Vanuatu and the Australian governments.

Since the signing of the Pacific Labour Scheme Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) in Nauru in September 2018, 12 Ni-Vanuatu employees are now being employed in the Horticulture sector in Australia.

The launch was held at the Grand Casino hotel in Port Vila Monday, 25 February 2019.

“Resilient development requires cooperation from all sectors to adapt and strengthen existing infrastructure and social systems so that we are ready to face the challenges ahead. In light of this, the U.S. government is pleased to work with national and local governments, the private sector, and academe to address pressing development needs that not only affect this country, but also this strategically important region as a whole.” said Ambassador Ebert-Gray

According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), the Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (VASNOC) broke the news after an over subscription of seats was discovered for their charter flight to Samoa in July.

VASANOC’s chief executive Henry Tavoa reportedly said all National Federations were informed of the selection criteria for the Games back in October 2017.

"When push comes to shove then we would inform the associations this is the criteria we would be following," he told RNZ. 

Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu announced the ban at a conference in Port Vila last week, saying plastic cutlery, polystyrene cups, plastic drinks stirrers and types of food packaging would also be outlawed.

He said research showed disposable diapers were the largest single item of household waste in the capital.

"Eliminating this item alone will disproportionately reduce plastic waste," he tweeted.

New Zealand will provide over VT450 million (NZ$6 million) to support the Water Sector Partnership of Vanuatu for the next three years.

The funding will build on the success of an earlier pilot project and will deliver water supply infrastructure and safe water to rural communities across the country.

This will make a major contribution to the Government of Vanuatu’s goal of delivering safely managed drinking water to all people in Vanuatu by 2030.

This was one of the key findings from Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s third export survey.

Digital trade is currently estimated to be worth about $43 billion to the Australian economy alone. To enable exporters in Vanuatu to take advantage of growing digital trade market, PTI Australia will be delivering an E-Commerce Workshop in Port Villa on Friday 1 March.

Provincial Agriculture Officer for Sanma Province, Joel Kalnpel, said there are many key activities that will be implemented this year in Sanma province and one of them is the Sanma Key Farmers Agriculture Show.

“This event will target our key farmers in Sanma province to see whether Sanma farmers are preparing themselves for the National Agriculture Festival that will be hosted by TAFEA province in 2020,” Kalnpel said.

DARD director, Antoine Ravo announced the awards during the department’s annual planning retreat.

“This year, an award programme will be introduced and the best performing officer and province will be awarded for his outstanding performance and a selection criterion will be circulated by the management to all provincial heads”, said Mr Ravo.

“Over the years, officers have been working very hard and so it is very timely that the department needs to start demonstrating credit to recognize their productivity in serving our nation".

Mr Koanapo met with the Mayor of Rotorua, Her Worship Steve Chadwick, Parliamentary Under Secretary, Fletcher Tabuteau and local MPs today to discuss how coordination between central and local government can bring benefits to the regions.

He also met with the Chief Executive Officer of Te Puia, Tim Cosser.

Te Puia is a community-based tourism organisation and centre for Māori cultural experience in Rotorua.

Te Puia is known for its geothermal valley and famous geysers.