Vanuatu

The 18 year old runner, who is dubbed Vanuatu’s golden boy, completed the 42.195 km marathon in Hong Kong at the weekend.

Charley finished the race with a timing of 3:15:39 placing him in an elite class amongst the 74,000 athletes.

He will receive $US 2,500 cash prize.

"I thank my coaches, the organizers, the people of Vanuatu and my family at Lapangtawa for believing in me," Charley said.

"I am humbled and blessed to be representing you all here and I know it is through your prayers and faith in me that got me here."

The Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu Jenny Da Rin and Vanuatu's Commissioner of Police, Albert Nalpini, have revealed a large banner promoting cyber safety outside the Police Station in Port Vila.

It was hoped the Cyber Safety Programme would raise public awareness about cyber crime and the importance of supervision while children were on the internet.

Ms Da Rin said while the internet had its benefits, it also had its risks.

She said she was looking forward to laws being passed to make the internet safe.

The Daily Post reported the policy, where the government had abolished tuition fees for years 7 and 8, had led to increased enrolments and fewer students dropping out of school.

But some schools were complaining that the government payments were not enough, and some schools - particularly in urban areas - said they were too full.

The newspaper said some principals had introduced other fees to get enough funding to cover the shortfall, which has led to complaints from parents.

Johnson Naviti has been appointed to the role, after previously being the director general to the prime minister's office and serving in the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat from 2002 to 2014.

President Moses said the relationship between Vanuatu and New Zealand is a strong one, and called on Mr Naviti to explore ways to strengthen it.

Andrew Napuat has named the officer as Ephraim Kalorib, who is alleged to have assaulted the husband of a senior public servant.

Mr Kalorib is suspended on half pay in line with a recommendation from the police commissioner, Albert Nalpini.

He is suspended pending a preliminary hearing towards the end of January.

Jeff Natapei said while electronics technology has made many activities easier and faster, there was a dangerous side to it.

He has warned about members of the online community who use fake accounts for criminal purposes to abuse or defraud people.

According to Mr Natapei, children were especially at risk, and parents should supervise their children on the best use of mobile phones and social media.

The government recently ordered a nationwide consultation concerning its proposed Cyber Safety Bill.

The warning is addressed in a letter from Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Joe Natuman to Massing.

In the letter dated 17 January 2918, Natuman reminded Massing that “the responsibility for the management of traffic at the wharf was delegated in 2016 to the ‘Port Vila Cruise Tourism Committee’, the Department of Ports and Harbour’, ‘the Police’, and ‘the Port Vila Cruise Transport Association’.”

Natuman says “the Chairman’s interference with the traffic management at the wharf this week resulted in a fight which caused injuries to a tourist.” 

According to the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper, both teachers' housing and family allowances have been cut.

The secretary general of the teachers' union said, in addition, the government had yet to increase teachers' salaries according to the new pay structure approved by a Government Remuneration Tribunal late last year.

Jean Joel Pakoa said the union was calling on the government to reinstate teachers' allowances and pay them their new salaries.

The Maewo Council of Chiefs asked the Public Service Commission to immediately reinstate Basil Leodoro, who was a surgeon in the Northern Provincial Hospital at Luganville on Espiritu Santo.

The Vanuatu Daily Post previously reported Dr Leodoro was suspended in October for accompanying the Vanuatu Under-20 football team to the world cup in South Korea in June without his superior's approval.

Vanuatu Yumi Tok Tok Stret reported the international aid agency issued the statement after it learned a person named Alison Kalotiti had been demanding money and other services from people in the north and north-east of Efate in December, promising them Oxfam would provide a poultry project in return.

Oxfam said it wanted to clarify there was no one by the name of Alison Kalotiti working with them.

The agency also said it did not have any poultry, boat or related projects.