Port Vila’s Lord Mayor Albert Daniel said he is saddened to learn that vendors at the Seafront could not sell any tourist items to the visitors on board the ‘Ovation of the Seas’ cruise ship.
"My Council was told that tourists would arrive by boat in town. Instead they changed the programme without knowledge of the Council," Daniel said.
The Port Vila Municipal erected tents along the George Kalsakau Drive where vendors sold their items.
However, the customers that day were mainly ni-Vanuatu and maybe "some 100 tourists" even though organisers said Port Vila would be packed with over 1000 visitors.
"I apologise to mothers and fathers who have travelled from all corners of Port Vila to town to sell their goods. I'm sorry. We too at the Port Vila Municipal went out of our way to help with arrangements to bring our guests to town only to find their drop of point was the main wharf," Daniel said.
However, he praised the resilient spirit of the people of Port Vila.
"We supported our own kind by buying their foods and dresses, although it may not be good enough but we as a people are always happy to help each other."
It was late Friday afternoon last week when the Mayor and members of his Council and staff of municipality were collecting rubbish from the main wharf to Namba tu that he realised the boats would drop off tourist at the main wharf.
Photo supplied. Caption: Port Vila Lord Mayor Albert Daniel.