A senior politician is currently under police investigation over an alleged misappropriation of VT5 million belonging to CEKE Communications of China.
The company has provided assistance of about VT500 million to expand Television Blong Vanuatu’s coverage to the outer islands of Vanuatu.
Police have advised that the name of the suspect be withheld pending further investigations.
The money in question was sent to a joint venture consultancy firm, VanuaMandia Digital Media Limited, which is owned by the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC) (49%) and CEKE Communications of China (51%).
VBTC general manager, Fred Vurobaravu confirmed the money was sent from China to VanuaMandia Digital Media Ltd to pay the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority (VIPA) as bond to pave way for the operations of the Chinese company in Vanuatu.
Mr Vurobaravu further explained that the VanuaMandia Digital Media Ltd was contracted by CEKE to run and manage the operation roll out, train staff and oversee the marketing perspective of Television Blong Vanuatu (TBV). Through the VanuaMandia Digital Media Ltd, the former VBTC board member was given the money under a contract to pay VIPA.
However, it was only discovered last month that VIPA had not been paid.
Vanuatu Police sources have confirmed that an initial verbal complaint was made by the VBTC General Manager in mid-March and a roundtable meeting was held on Friday, March 18 between VBTC management, VanuaMandia Digital Media Ltd, the police and the suspect during which the suspect allagedly confessed to using the money. The suspect also reportedly promised to repay the money by Thursday, March 24 2016.
Police say since then no further action took place until last Friday, April 1 when the VBTC general manager with the support of a representative of VanuaMandia Digital Media Ltd and the project coordinator of CEKE lodged a written complaint at the central police station.
Despite the incident, a container full of decoders, transmitters and other equipment have arrived in Vanuatu and was handed over to the Prime Minister Sariboh Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas last week by representatives of CEKE Communications. The equipment will be used to enable transmissions of TBV to Santo, Malekula and Tanna before hitting the other outer islands in the archipelago.