Archive - Aug 10, 2011

Dear Editor,

I refer to some very positive comments made by callers on Friday 5th August 2011 Talk back show through FM107 from 1:00 - 1:30 pm. Amongst the many comments made, I would like to fully support one of the callers who suggest that we need to “think Vanuatu” and this statement was also elaborated and commended further by the radio announcers.

The only game of the day not to be completed was played out between hosts Ireland and Namibia at the Strabane Cricket Club. Namibia was at 34 for one when heavy rains forced the match to be abandoned for the day. This match will now be replayed afresh at the Coleraine Cricket Club on Monday, 8 August, a reserve day for the tournament.

But it was normal service at the other games with some impressive performances for yet another day by the teams. The battle to book the six spots available for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup to be held next year in Australia will go down to the wire.

It is almost end the of 2011 and nothing has been done to refurbish or upgrade the famous Chapuis Stadium as elephant grass continue to take over the basketball, netball, tennis and volleyball courts.

The hall and the grandstand at the basketball court need to be refurbished quickly before they fall apart in order to save money when it comes to renovation.

The difference between the forthcoming 17th Penama Inter Secondary Sports Association (PISSA) Games and similar Games in the past is that all winners will be awarded with medals. No trophies.

The PISSA Games will officially open at Gambule Junior Secondary School in North Maewo on August 21 and close on 27, and is expected to attract 1,000 young sports men and women from secondary schools throughout Penama.

A total of 960 Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals are waiting to be won during the Games.

Six Australian Indigenous volunteers have just had the experience of a lifetime living and working with Pelmoli community in South West Santo.

Vanuatu National Provident Fund member Jotham Napat has congratulated Chairman Benjamin Shing’s Board of Directors for taking firm control of the Fund saying it is vital that relevant legislations are put in place to direct the Management to invest the members’ savings with prudence especially with regard to the two land purchases at Boufa and Milai in Santo.

Both purchases were made before the appointment of Shing’s Board and it is only now that the Board has found out that there was no investment guidelines whatsoever as to what to do with the plots.

The ministry of internal affairs is considering options in making changes to the number of parliamentary seats in some constituencies while maintaining the current number of seats in parliament.

This will mean that there will be some re-arrangement of seats from some constituencies which will see reductions of seats in those constituencies with high number of seats compared to its voters and allocate those seats to other constituencies that have more voters with less number of seats.

The ministry of internal affairs is considering options in making changes to the number of parliamentary seats in some constituencies while maintaining the current number of seats in parliament.

This will mean that there will be some re-arrangement of seats from some constituencies which will see reductions of seats in those constituencies with high number of seats compared to its voters and allocate those seats to other constituencies that have more voters with less number of seats.

By 2013 the 3,000 residents on the island of Epi in Vanuatu will have access to all villages through a new road and the relocation of the island’s main airstrip, as part of the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) project.

Prime Minister Sato Kilman’s coalition went under damage control mode last Friday when he accepted Vanua’aku Pati and his backbenchers refused the idea furiously.

Under the deal VP Secretary General MP Sela Molisa and Vice President Joe Natuman were supposed to be sworn in as Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs respectively on Sunday.