Vanuatu

Sanma MP Uri Warawara was issued the warrant by the Supreme Court for his alleged involvement in threats against the owners, clients and staff of Freshwater Plantation on Aore.

The Daily Post reported the dispute was over a coastal landing area at St Michel, in Luganville.

The court said Mr Warawara and his family have harassed people travelling on water, which is defined as public land, to reach the plantation.

GJP president, Ralph Regenvanu takes up Foreign Affairs Ministry, replacing Bruno Leingkone, according to a government statement released today.

Two other GJP members – Alfred Maoh and Andrew Napuat were included in the cabinet reshuffle.
Maoh becomes the new Minister for Lands while Napuat, who is new to cabinet, takes over internal affairs.

Prime Minister Salwai appointed MP for Malekula, Gracia Shedrack from Leaders Party as the new Minister for Health, replacing fellow Malekula MP, Jerome Ludvaune. 

After successfully hosting the 2017 Pacific Mini Games, Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue says Vanuatu has already expressed their interest in hosting the games.

"It appears that they're looking to use these mini games as a possible springboard to host the main ones," he says. "That's what the Minister said at the closing ceremony, they'd like to bid for the 2027 [games] in 10 years time."

Sales will be banned from some sites from midday this Friday until midnight on Tuesday 26 December.

The Daily Post said a similar ban will apply over New Year.

It said restaurants, bars and hotels selling alcohol to bona fide customers for consumption with food are exempt from the ban.

The government hopes the ban will see a reduction in the number of alcohol-related accidents and disturbances during this busy period.

The Games came to a close in Port Vila on Friday after 12 days of competition with New Caledonia topping the medals tally.

Van 2017 CEO Clint Flood admitted they had their share of challenges but he believed Vanuatu delivered a successful Games it can be proud of.

"The events went off without hitch. Behind the scenes all the operations, the transport, the catering, the villages were all done really well and the comments were that people were astounded what a level that we delivered this in Vanuatu," he said.

The panel of judges chose Shing who won four gold medals in the four events he competed in and Firisua won three gold medals in the 10kilometres, 5 kilometres and the half-marathon ahead of other strong contenders.

The awards for Outstanding Young Male and Female went to Clement Mainguy of Vanuatu (tennis) and Fiji’s Eileen Cikamatana (weightlifting).

14-year-old Mainguy helped his team win gold while Cikamatana won three gold in her weight category and also set new Commonwealth and Oceania records in weightlifting.

This year, netball featured some outstanding athletes in the Van2017 games along with two dual national athletes from Vanuatu.

Meriel Kenni and Selina Solman are both Vanuatu National cricketers who have now made their debut in the National Netball team making them two of the few athletes from Vanuatu who are dual national sport representatives.

Both women, who are of Tannese descent, hold leadership roles in the two respective sports with Solman as the captain of the National Women’s cricket team and Kenni as the National Netball captain.

The New Zealand territory, which has a local population of just 1500, only sent one athlete to the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea and had initially planned to send nobody to the Mini Games in Vanuatu.

But Ilai Elekana Manu, who has won eight Oceania medals representing Tokelau in wrestling, said he had a chance encounter with Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue at an ONOC (Oceania National Olympic Committees) meeting earlier this year, which motivated him to try and put together a team.

Hill's crafty footwork helped him win the fight after both boxers had a good start and threw some powerful shots at each other. However, Hill opted to move around the ring and then launched surprise attacks on his opponent.

"Boxing is a sport where anything can happen and for me I came really prepared to face Vanuatu's best and he was good," Hill said after the fight.

"He was fight fit and ready and so was I in the fight."

In the heart of Korman complex, flags were waving in the crowd as para-athletes took their spot on the starting line, ready to take off at the sound of the starting gun.

Sylvain Bova, a vision impaired runner from New Caledonia, was positioned in lane one and took his mark with his guide, Germain Haewegene, by his side as they prepared to sprint for gold in the Men’s 100m ambulant final.

Twelve seconds and thirteen milliseconds later, they crossed the finish line in perfect sync with each matching the other’s stride.