Vanuatu

Dispela de i makim taim we Malampa we i karamapim ol ailan blong Malekula, Ambrym na Pama i kamap olsem wanpela provins blong Vanuatu.

Ol wanwan province blong Vanuatu i makim tu ol wanwan kantri blong Melanesian Spearhead Group we ol i adoptim, na Malampa i ibin adoptim Fiji.

Praim Minista Charlot Salwai na planti pipol blong Fiji tu i stap long selebresen long Port Vila tede blong makim dispela Malampa Fiji Day.

A statement said the governments of both countries guided by mutual desire to initiate and develop ties of friendship and cooperation between the two States in political, economic, cultural, technical and in any other fields on the common agreement have decided to establish diplomatic relations as of the date of the signing of this joint communiqué on the basis of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 18th April 1961.

RNZ reports the Pacific Dawn will visit three times and bring at least 6,000 tourists.

The Port Vila cruise liners committee has welcomed the news but says it's a wake up call for the land and sea transport associations and the business community to be prepared.

Two cruise liners are expected to anchor when the new Port Vila wharf is completed towards the end of next year.     

The Medal of honour is for his service in the Maritime Boundary issue between the Republic of Vanuatu and Solomon Islands while serving in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The Late Fifi’i was posthumously awarded and honoured during the signing of the Maritime Boundary Treaty at Mota Lava Island, Vanuatu on Friday 7th October when the Government of Solomon Islands and the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu signed the historic treaty over their common maritime boundary, ending a 33 year negotiation process.

When presenting his remarks during the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Sogavare acknowledged the ‘deep respect for sovereign rights’ upheld during the long peaceful process of negotiating the eventual border demarcations.

Mr Sogavare said the Treaty expresses ‘our desire to uphold and respect our unique Melanesian traditions, customs and cultures in a globalising world’.

The resort, situated on the Tamanu beachfront about a 30 minute drive from Port Vila, was a popular romantic retreat and dining spot for international visitors until it was extensively damaged by the disaster.

Two local business partners took over the property in April this year, and are funding its recovery and expansion.

Tamanu on the Beach director Ryan Foots says the resort has been ‘reimagined’. ‘We've recaptured the elements that made Tamanu such an attractive property,’ says Foots.

The airline stopped flights in January, citing concerns about the state of the runway at Bauerfield Airport in Port Vila.

A multi-million dollar refurbishment is being planned and funded by the World Bank.

In the meantime, there have been two lots of temporary repairs to the runway.

While Virgin Australia has resumed services, Air New Zealand is only prepared to send in charter flights.

Earlier this week, Vanuatu's infrastructure minister, Jotham Napat, said the airline had told him that the runway was acceptable for operations.

The acting director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu, Peter Omawa and the chief executive of Air Vanuatu, Joseph Laloyer, have both confirmed the incident saying another plane was dispatched immediately to fly the stranded passengers to their destinations.

The Daily Post newspaper says the plane is still at Walaha waiting for a replacement cable to be flown in from Australia.

The CEO says investigations will be carried out to find out why the cable, which was installed just six months ago, snapped.

RNZ reports the prime minister of Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare is being hosted by his Vanuatu counterpart for the occasion which is to take place in Vanuatu's Torba province on Friday.

If signed on Friday the treaty would mark the end of 32 years of negotiations and extensive technical groundwork.

This was not only to define the border coordinates but also take into consideration resource rights between the two countries given the Exclusive Economic Zones of both countries overlap significantly between Solomon Islands Temotu Province and Vanuatu's Torba.

RNZ reports the Ministerial Budget Committee has rejected the decentralisation policy despite the Minister of Internal Affairs, Alfred Maoh, having it endorsed by the Council of Ministers.

The policy calls for Area Councils to be allocated annual budgets of $US93,000 dollars each.

The Prime Minister had highlighted the new budget allocation in his national address to mark the country's 36 years of independence earlier this year.

This is the first time Charlot Salwai's government has shown any signs of disunity.