Vaturisu Conference approves Codification of Rules of Custom for Efate

Chiefs from all villages on Efate and its offshore islands of Lelepa, Moso, Nguna, Pele and Emau resolved to establish a drafting committee to compile the customary rules of custom for Efate at the 11th Conference held at Mele Village, South Efate at the end of June.

The 6-men drafting committee is headed by Levi Tarosa who is also chairman of Vaturisu Land Reform Committee.

Other members of the drafting committee include Timothy Kalnangis representing Farealoveti Council of Chiefs of West Efate, Yan Amos Dapang representing Vatkorpau Council of Chiefs South Efate, John Dean Karris representing Silotulo Council of Chiefs of East Efate, Michael Manlaetoa representing Marakinavata from North Efate and Maksau Sepa coming in for Emau Council of Chiefs. Mr Tarosa represents Nguna-Pele Council of Chiefs.

The committee is expected to work closely with all six Area Council of Chiefs to put together their respective rules of custom and to present these to the next Vaturisu Conference to be held at Emau Island in 2018.

Codification of Rules of Custom is a sensitive subject but is a task which is being encouraged and supported as part of the 19 Resolution of Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs which was passed in 2011.

Vaturisu already has a Custom Rule document which is currently being used or referred to in a lot of land cases. The work of the drafting committee will also include a revision and/or expansion of the documented rules of custom which is already established by the Vaturisu Conference in the past years.

According to Chairman Tarosa, a policy paper will be prepared jointly with the Office of the Director-General of the Ministry of Justice to get the Council of Minister’s support behind this codification of the rules of custom for Efate.