Archive - May 18, 2011

The timing of the workshop on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be held in Parliament Chambers for all Members of Parliament yesterday was reportedly postponed by the Prime Minister on the grounds that he would like to meet with the members of the WTO first.

Both politicians, interested members of the public and students who turned up at Parliament House were told that the workshop was postponed to another date to be announced later. It remains to be seen if both sides of the House would be prepared to sit together for a learning experience on the World Trade Organisation.

The Alliance Francais in Luganville conducted a four day French course last week at the Alliance office.

The “Writing of administrative documents and Grammar” course came in as a refresher for French-speaking civil servants in Luganville aimed at enhancing their skills to be productive in French so they can use this language better at work.

This training is part of the program “Francohponie and civil servant,” launched by the Government of Vanuatu, and financed by the French Embassy.

The public opinion on the present political situation in Vanuatu is that Head of State should dissolve Parliament and call for early elections.

The most shared public views and concerns are that public funds are running out fast on pay out of politicians every time there is change in government. And not only that but the continued political changes and instability hinders economic and social developments.

Daily Post in Santo was able to get an interview with the United States Ambassador to Vanuatu, Solomons and Papua New Guinea, Mr Teddy Taylor who spent two weeks in Santo for the Pacific Partnership program.

The questions asked were in relation to the killing of Osama Bin Laden and his opinion for the Pacific Island nations, the human rights violation in West Papua and the chances of Vanuatu getting a second millennium challenge compact.

Young people from Australia, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu will congregate next month in New Zealand to build skills to create a more peaceful region.

The interactive ‘Wansolwara Youth Peace-building Conference’ (W.Y.P.C) will empower young people with peace-building and advocacy skills to take leadership and action on issues that cause conflict in their communities. Wansolwara is a pidgin word meaning ‘one ocean-one people’.

The unveiling of two new toilet models in the villages of Mele and Mele Maat recently launched sanitation marketing in village Vanuatu. Toilet making is about to become a profitable business in the rural areas.

Paul Lenthwaite of the environmental NGO Live and Learn says people willing to take care in the construction of good toilets can make a business out of it. It is also the sort of enterprise which good management can quickly build up. Toilet construction is profitable.

Vanuatu is consequently hailed as the happiest nation in the world and offers breathtaking natural scenery, sandy beaches and more, but with the influx of foreigners coming in the country what matters?

This is a critical issue paramount to the security of Vanuatu as Vanuatu, unlike other Pacific Island Nations has not ratified all the Counter Terrorism Core Conventions.

There is an increase of the Muslim population in Vanuatu, development boom and the absence of an integrated policy and loopholes in existing laws and regulations which must be filled.

Youth Challenge Vanuatu (YCV) is delighted to announce that their first Future Leaders Program on Santo will begin in June, 2011. YCV, in partnership with the Pacific Leadership Program seeks 15 hardworking & motivated youths between 18-30 years to be involved.

A total of 18 Shefa Provincial Councilors returned home satisfied with their fact finding mission round Efate last Friday that their decision to approve the setting up of Road Markets round the island last year, was correct because now families make money every day at their own doorstep.

All the registered markets are owned and managed by the women and the members are happy that they now have money to send their children to school without having to travel to Port Vila to make that money in the Port Vila Market House.