Vanuatu's government is being criticised for spending more than $US20,000 on jewellery for MPs, their spouses, and heads of government departments.
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.
The opposition leader, Ralph Regenvanu, has called it excessive and unnecessary expenditure, adding that opposition MPs were offered the jewellery but rejected it.
The committee hearings continue.