Vanuatu

RNZI reports the Chinese Government is to help fund the roading project which will cost a total of US$47 million dollars.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai called on custom landowners and chiefs in the areas where the roads are being built to co-operate with the company doing the road building, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

He said the locals had a duty to support a project which will boost economic growth for the Malekula islands, Malampa Province and Vanuatu.

This follows the recent announcement that the Cook Islands is the first Pacific island country to have received a Readiness grant from the GCF to support institutional strengthening to access climate finance.

RNZI reports the president of Oceans Watch, Chris Bone, uses its network to respond to requests for assistance from remote communities in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.

He says villagers in Temotu in the eastern parts of the Solomons are constantly being offered cash by companies wanting to mine and log their land.

Ofis blong Prime Minista i askem ol media tu blong oli mekem ol investigation mo risej long ol tok tok we istap kamaut long ol press konfrens ia blong oli no joenem opposition blong mislidim ol pipol blong Vanuatu.

Ofis blong Prime Minista i mekem komen ia folem tok tok blong lida blong opposition long Daily Post news paper long las Saturday ova long ting ting blong gavman blong introdiusim income tax.

This follows custom ceremonies carried out to conform with traditional expectation, involving representatives of all members of the custom's supreme body from throughout the country.

RNZI reports the nakamal was built in 1989 and has been the focal point of the Malvatamauri's functions, traditional operations and decision-making.

After Air New Zealand and Qantas withdrew their service to Port Vila in January, citing concerns over the safety of the runway, Vanuatu activated a 60 million US dollar World Bank loan for an aviation overhaul.

RNZI reports the package included a long term upgrade of the Bauerfield runway as well as emergency interim repairs designed to get it up to the required standard for the following year.

Branding the policy as “evil” Mr Kalsakau said Income Tax will only affect the low income earners like market vendors but not corporate businesses and high income earners because they can still survive while your most needed portion is taken away.

The Opposition leader made these remarks in a historical public press conference inside Port Vila’s main market house during the busiest lunch hour of the week on Friday. This opposition weekly press conference is normally held at the opposition conference room at parliament house every Friday morning.

Yesterday, the Minister of Lands, Ralph Regenvanu handed over the first Negotiator’s Certificate to be issued for a lease application for rural customary land under the new land laws to the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) for the development of a futsal field and football field at Paunganisu village, north Efate.  

A decision on that matter will be handed down next Friday.

Willie Jimmy and Silas Yatan through their lawyers had appealed against the invocation order saying it is unconstitutional and illegal.

Last year, Jimmy and Yatan were convicted of the offense of “corruption and bribery of officials” under section 73 of the Penal Code. 

Pablic Relesen Ofisa blong Gavman, Hilaire Bule i mekem toktok ya folem ol coment we Mr Ishmael Kalsakau ibin mekem abot Vanuatu Registri Seves (VRS).

Bule i talem se long saed blong isiu blong VRS, Mr Kalsakau, hemi no should mislidim ol pipol mo kuestenem se 50% blong mani blong VRS, hemi go wea?