Police Commissioner appeals to Yumi Toktok Stret to control members

Members of the local “Yumi Toktok Stret – YTS” social media forum have been warned by the Police that any threat against the Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF) is a national crime.

The warning came at a meeting of representatives of YTS with the Management and Board of the VNPF last week following heated comments on the social media forum relating to certain investments decisions of the VNPF, especially on the Wilco Hardware and the Belmol cattle farm on Santo.

Two representatives from Vanuatu’s biggest Social Media Forum “Yumi Toktok Stret – YTS”, Ephraim Songi and Julian Ligo, met with the Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF) Management and Board on last Wednesday May 7, to discuss the threat issues against the VNPF.

This meeting was arranged by the VNPF management after threats started to surface against VNPF on the popular social network forum.

The Police Commissioner Arthur Caulton and his deputy John Taleo, the commander for operations also attended the meeting.

The Police Commissioner told YTS representatives that any threats made to VNPF is considered a national threat. He further stressed the need to control the forum as it is becoming a powerful medium for frustrated members who use fake profiles to threaten VNPF management and board.

The deputy commissioner also stressed the importance of national security in regards to VNPF. He appealed to the YTS representatives of the forum for the need to control its members and how they post and comment so as to not repeat the events of 1998 riot, when the VNPF Building was damaged by rioters and its funds depleted in a mass withdrawal by members.

Commissioner Caulton further stressed that if any action is taken by members or nonmembers, the police will be engaged to control matters. Caulton and his deputy called on Yumi Toktok Stret – YTS “to be more responsible and take control of their forum as the police have traced various profiles but were not successful as these profiles were heavily protected by other fake profiles.”

YTS’s Songi told VNPF and the Police commissioner that “the VNPF issue is still critical as VNPF has not answered or provided members an answer in the media about huge investments by VNPF using member’s savings.”

“At this stage the YTS forum can’t be touched or engaged as the Vanuatu Cyber Law is still in draft and needs to be passed in parliament,” Songi pointed out to the Police Commissioner. He also stressed the need for VNPF to engage itself with members through publicity and awareness on schemes or investments.

“Additionally, there are codes we live by, laws we follow, but then again there is technology which moves too fast to care. We haven’t come to grips with what is ethical yet for social media, let alone with what the laws should be, in relation to technologies such as social media,” YTS representative Ligo told everyone at the meeting.

He also stressed the importance of VNPF answering member’s queries or questions, and has extended to VNPF the use of air time on Yumi Toktok Stret Talk back every Wednesday on FM107 or Yumi Toktok Stret live on TV which will be airing next week.

“YTS will always give members the opportunity to voice their opinion on this issue and members concerns must be answered,” Ligo added.

He said the meeting focused mainly on the threat issue against VNPF but the questions asked by members still remain unanswered.

The two YTS representatives said the result of the meeting was not really as members of the forum expected as they wanted VNPF to come out in a press conference which the VNPF has not yet confirmed a date on.

There will be another round of talks with VNPF and YTS to agree on a date for a joint press conference as asked by Yumi Toktok Stret forum.