Vanuatu

Piñata Farms is among Australia’s approved agricultural industry employers recruiting workers from the Pacific Islands under the Federal Government’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP).

North Queensland operations manager Stephen Scurr said eight workers from Vanuatu were currently harvesting pineapples at the company’s Mareeba farm, double last year’s intake.

He said they had decided to recruit workers from Vanuatu, which was one of nine participating Pacific Island countries, as Piñata Farms managed a sandalwood and lime plantation there.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported the parliamentary secretariat confirmed the new annual rate, which came into effect on the first of January.

The allowance was meant to cover travel expenses incurred by MPs when touring their constituencies.

It was increased by $US6,999.45 (Vt765,000) from $US7384 (Vt804,000) per annum per MP to $US14,711 (Vt1,605,000).

Matai Seremaiah has also discouraged workers from drunk driving, saying he expected all government vehicles to be in department parking lots at half past four every day.

The Daily Post said Mr Seremaiah called his staff together and announced the ban after two government vehicles were involved in accidents over the Christmas break.

He also ordered a top official to pay for the cost of a vehicle involved in an accident months earlier.

The MOU was signed by the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade, Ralph Regenvanu, and the Australian High Commissioner, Jenny Da Rin, in Port Vila Monday.

Australia is Vanuatu’s largest development partner providing almost six billion vatu annually through the Australian aid program to help Vanuatu build resilient infrastructure and improve economic opportunity, provide essential health and education services, improve community safety and resilience, and to rebuild after Tropical Cyclone Pam.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported the project, dubbed "Rainbow International City" or "Little Singapore" is being driven by FPF Company Limited a self-described multi-profile company behind Vanuatu's first English-Chinese newspaper the Vila Times.

The company was also involved in construction, retail and immigration and business consulting in the Pacific.

Its new city is to be built on around 87 hectares of land at Narpow Point on Efate about nine kilometres from Vanuatu's capital Port Vila.

But there are reports that around 2000 of the more than 11,000 people originally evacuated are still displaced; after they were forced to move from their home villages because ash fall and acid rain has ruined their food crops.

Henry Vira from the Ambae Manaro Disaster Committee says food security remains the biggest concern.

The Agriculture Department is working to help locals re-plant their food gardens, although it seems administration delays are holding up the assistance.

The government has announced, as a start, non-biodegradable plastic bags and polystyrene takeaway boxes are to be banned from the end of this month.

The head of Maritime and Ocean Affairs in Vanuatu Toney Tevi said new laws would also be introduced for managing plastic waste.

He said changes to the country's Waste Management Act would be announced by the end of the month.

Vanuatu is bringing in a ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags and and polystyrene takeaway boxes on January 31 but businesses have six months to use up existing stocks.

Toney Tevi said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already begun consultations with distributors who import plastic bags.

"Some of them actually started two or three months ago to start forgoing plastics in the shop," he said.

Mr Tevi said at the South Pacific Mini Games held in Vanuatu last month, takeaway food was sold in cardboard not polystyrene boxes.

The Council of Ministers decided on the ban at its meeting in December and it has agreed to several first steps in the management of marine litter.

Starting 31 January, 2018, there will be a ban on the importation of single-use non-biodegradable plastic bags and polystyrene takeaway boxes.

Local manufacturers of plastic bags can only use biodegradable plastics beginning on 31 January, 2018.

The government will also review and provide a new method for disposal of plastic bottle waste beginning on 31 January, 2018.

The Daily Post reports that Johnson Naviti, who is a former director-general in the Prime Minister's Office, has been chosen for the post.

The Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu says New Zealand is not only a good friend to Vanuatu but also a very important partner, especially after the two sides signed the seasonal work scheme RSE in 2007.

New Zealand employs 4,000 ni-Vanuatu workers under the programme and Mr Regenvanu says the time is right for the first Vanuatu High Commissioner's Office to be opened in Wellington.