VCC opposes WTO

The Vanuatu Christian Council (VCC) has made its stand clear on the issue of the WTO at the open media Forum last week when the Chairman Bishop James Ligo disclosed that VCC totally opposes the idea of Vanuatu becoming a member of the World Trade Organisation.

VCC Chairman Ligo told Daily Post that if the government does not listen to the people who do not agree to Vanuatu becoming a member of the WTO, the VCC will take the issue further and that is to seek an alternative to present their concern to the government.

“All members of the NGOs and the VCC itself will not back down on the decision they have taken to do all they can within the powers they have to stop the government from allowing the country to join the World Trade Organisation,” said the chairman of the Christian Council in Vanuatu .

He said many people of Vanuatu are not fully aware of what WTO is and the positive and the negative impacts of the WTO and that the negative impacts of WTO outweighs the positive impact of the WTO as far as Vanuatu is concern.

“Even the Anglican Church itself speaks for around 35,000 people of this country. And the entire population of this country is all members of the Vanuatu Christian Council (VCC) and so the VCC speak on behalf of not only few people in the country but the voice the majority of the population ,” he said.

The Chairman of the VCC also confirmed to Daily Post that they had already sought a conference with the Prime Minister Sato Kilman to present the concern of the VCC on the WTO issue to him directly.

Asked what would happen if the National Government does not listen to VCC call, Bishop James Ligo replied “we will take further steps”, he commented.
On the question of what are other steps the VCC contemplating taking if the Government does not listen to the voices of Churches in Vanuatu, he replied “We will organise a demonstration to show the Government that we mean business to say no to the World Trade Organization ,” said one of the VCC Executive member.

The Christian Council of Vanuatu is determined to convince the government and political leaders of Vanuatu that the country and her people do not need to become a member of the WTO.