Vanuatu

Men and boys in traditional dress also put up a welcome ceremony, including the presentation of a pig and root-crops.

Islands Business reports the Vanuatu capital is hosting the first ever week on Pacific Agriculture, all aimed at boosting the key role agriculture plays in island economies.

The Pacific Community (SPC) with the aide of the UN Food and Agricutural Organisation (FAO) are supporting the weeklong event which will culminate with a meeting of heads of agriculture and forestry of the Pacific on Thursday and the ministers of agriculture and forestry on Friday.

He said he wouldn’t tolerate seeing government employees waiting outside for locked offices to be opened up.

"I have agreed to pay you well and I also expect you to deliver on your job descriptions", he said.

Mr Salwai has also called on all department directors to ensure they don't turn away members of the public seeking answers.

"I don't want to hear the usual phrase 'mi no save' (I don't know) that Government employees use to tell people who ask questions", said Mr Salwai.

Vanuatu is hosting the one-week event from today to 20 October in partnership with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The intensive week of meetings will see international and regional participants explore innovations, discuss challenges and look for ways to protect and expand agriculture in the Pacific.

With support from the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), over 30 participants from the Caribbean, Africa and other Pacific Island countries are expected to take part in the event.

The island's 11,000 people were evacuated last month when the island's volcano started erupting, covering much of the island in ash and killing crops.

RNZI reports the evacuees are currently in evacuation centres on the nearby islands of Santo, Maewo and Pentecost.

The government last week extended the state of emergency for another fortnight, but with the volcano settling down, a repatriation to Ambae could occur within a month.

UNICEF's Andrew Parker said the government is working tirelessly to plan for what will be another major challenge.

Shepherd Islands Organic Seafood owner, Obed Timakata said: “I was overwhelmed when I got the news that I’m a Fish 2.0 2017 competition finalist.

“I am very grateful for all the support provided by Pacific Trade Invest Australia in bringing back Fish 2.0 to the Pacific. It’s an absolute valuable program indeed.

“I’m very excited to be representing Vanuatu at the 2017 Fish 2.0 Innovation Forum Finals in November.”

The other finalists are Didao Fishing Company from Solomon Islands and Indigo Seafood of Palau.

More than 11,000 people from Ambae island remain on neighbouring islands after being forced to evacuate because authorities feared the Manaro volcano would erupt.

Its threat level was reduced a week ago and the Vanuatu government is now making assessments to pave the way for people to return home next month.

Henry Vira is part of the Ambae Manaro Disaster Committee, set up specifically to help deal with this evacuation.

Some of the evacuees who fled the Manaro volcano are now being sheltered on the two islands, while the vast majority are on the big island, Santo.

UNICEF's country representative, Andrew Parker, said supplies are still being distributed to the islands and the evacuees are doing alright.

"Students that are relocating from Ambae into Maewo are certainly being supported with personal hygiene kits, and blankets, mosquito nets, and lights and so on," he said.

Samoa and Solomons Men met for the first time for many years and it provided a close tussle. 

At the conclusion of the match it was a 2 all draw.

To find the winner involved the first shootout competition of the tournament.

Exciting goalkeeping kept the score 1-1 as different strikers had their turns however, it was in sudden death that Samoa, in their first Hockey5s shootout broke the deadlock to take the game.

The highlight game in the women's section was the match between Samoa and Fiji. Samoa really challenged Fiji and the match ended 6-4 to Fiji. 

The Salwai Government is likely to impose income tax after the Council of Ministers adopted a controversial report from its Revenue Review Committee.

World Bank economist Kim Edwards says it's hard to predict exactly what effect the Ambae Island crisis will have on Vanuatu's economy and the government's grand plans.

“It’s a bit difficult to tell at this stage. I know the government has its own people on the ground monitoring the effect of the evacuation and what responses might be needed,” Edwards told Pacific Beat.

The prime minister Charlot Salwai was today planning to visit the 500 people who are being hosted on the island after they had to leave their home of Ambae because of volcanic unrest.

Mr Salwai and the Minister of Climate Change Ham Lini were not able to land at Maewo's airport and went on to Santo where more than 7,000 evacuees are housed.

Mr Salwai met with the National Disaster Management Office authorities on Santo as well as the leaders of evacuation camps there.

RNZI reports he gave them an update on the state of emergency and the volcano.