Vanuatu

Vanuatu PM to visit Australia

Salwai’s visit was announced by his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull today.

Turnbull said Australia enjoys a close relationship with Vanuatu, with the two nations sharing strong economic, security and people to people links.

The visit will provide an opportunity for Australia and Vanuatu to enhance our strategic partnership and deepen our economic and security cooperation.

Law to end interference in Vanuatu commission

The government and opposition have voted in favour of the Public Service Amendment Act.

The opposition leader Ishmael Kalsakau said the prime minister had to cut off the political hand that had been interfering in the commission for years.

Mr Kalsakau, a former government minister, said too many members of the commission were political appointees.

The prime minister had to go all the way to end political interference in the selection of commission members, he said.

 

Vanuatu students struggling after leaving Ambae

About 70 secondary school students were moved by the government along with their teachers four weeks ago after months of volcanic activity and heavy ashfall on Ambae.

The deputy principal of Ambae's Navutiriki Secondary School, Issac Tanga, said many of the classes being held on Maewo were in tents which sometimes leaked.

The school was also struggling to supply food and water to students, Mr Tanga said.

The teachers were asking the Education Ministry to return them and the students to Ambae where the volcano appears to have settled down, he said.

Vanuatu preparing for cyber crime law, says PM

The Prime Minister told the parliament last Friday that the law is very important as it will be able to address the social media issues affecting Vanuatu today.

Mr Salwai made the statement following questions raised by former Prime Minister Sato Kilman who questioned the government's capacity in controlling social media.

This came after a Facebook post claiming that Mr Kilman had six different back accounts in different banks in Hong Kong.

 

     

No bail for jailed former Vanuatu MPs

Marcellino Pipite, Silas Yatan, Thomas Laken, John Amos and Jonas James were re-imprisoned last week for three years and 10 months and with the judge saying they would remain in jail until their appeal was heard.

They were among a group 14 former MPs who were jailed in 2015 on bribery and corruption charges.

     

Vanuatu chief wins right to run container port

The deal gives the chief and his people's group of companies the right to operate the newly completed Lapetasi International Container Terminal located on Ifira Island in the middle of Port Vila's harbour

The chief has assured the government he is confident the companies have the material and expertise to successfully operate the terminal and the company board has already reduced container charges.

The Prime Minister Charlot Salwai congratulated the chief and his people for their generosity.

President calls for Vanuatu Mobile Force to be separate from police

Obed Moses Tallis made the call to amend the Police Act at the opening of parliament.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reports the president said it's important a proper security force was formed to strengthen the security of the country.

The police commissioner's background as either a police officer or Vanuatu Mobile Force officer had contributed to tension between the two forces in the past.

Mr Tallis wants the law changed to allow the Vanuatu Mobile Force to become full-time military soldiers.

     

Emalus Campus to welcome the In-country Science Programme

The event will mark a partnership between the University and the Government of Vanuatu through the Ministry of Education and Training in delivering full science programmes to students at Emalus Campus from 9 July.

VISP will provide students at Emalus Campus the opportunity to take science programmes that in the past would only be offered at Laucala Campus in Fiji. Some students even travel to Universities beyond our region to study science.

No confidence motion debated today in Vanuatu parliament

The government said it had 39 MPs onside to the opposition's nine.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported the foreign minister Ralph Regenvanu said the government was more concerned that the Constitutional Review Committee could not meet due to an opposition boycott.

He said the opposition's negative attitude meant a new approach had to be found to prepare for the general election in 2020.

He said the review was important for political stability.

Man killed as volcanic ash triggers flooding in Vanuatu

A police search party found his body under the vehicle.

The Daily Post reports the creek had accumulated sand and ash after the Manaro volcano eruptions.

The Department of Meteorology and Geohazards is warning people on the island to be careful crossing creeks as the ash-filled waterways could trigger more flash flooding.