The jewellery - purchased from a Port Vila store - was reportedly bought on the minister of internal affair's instructions ahead of this year's independence celebrations.
The national co-ordinator of the 40th anniversary celebrations, Fred Samuel, told the Parliamentary Accounts Committee the funding was approved by the director-general of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reports the committee also heard the director general was acting on instruction from the minister of internal affairs, Andrew Napuat.
