[New post] Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 12 December 2015

WordPress.com bobmakin posted: "Malvatumauri President Chief Seni Mau Tirsupe has said the correct processes must be followed in arranging demolition of the cyclone shredded chiefs' nakamal. There are certain customary steps to be followed. His membership had been greatly assisting. But" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Vanuatu Daily Digest Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 12 December 2015 by bobmakin Malvatumauri President Chief Seni Mau Tirsupe has said the correct processes must be followed in arranging demolition of the cyclone shredded chiefs' nakamal. There are certain customary steps to be followed. His membership had been greatly assisting. But, he says, reconstruction is now required to be arranged through the Tender Board. This means it is unlikely the nakamal will open by 5 March, National Chiefs' Day. Chief Seni Mau Tirsupe regrets the delays. Radio Vanuatu's Christmas in the Park begins at Saralana at 6 o'clock on Tuesday after a parade involving vehicles and individuals. A keynote address will be given by PM Kilman. The Mayor of Port Vila will be one of the hosts at the occasion. The holiday season also sees the various political parties vying for the attention of readers of the papers with their announcements of how many candidates they will have contesting the national election on January 22. Ship owners, freight forwarders and others concerned with the freight and transport industry and wharfage yesterday held a meeting under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce (VCCI) to discuss a variety of issues confronting the industry. Not much indication of the issues was given. And that's about all which can be arranged for the Digest just now. But, gud wiken! bobmakin | December 12, 2015 at 5:16 pm | Categories: The News, Digested | URL: http://wp.me/p2A4RK-Fx Comment    See all comments    Like Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Vanuatu Daily Digest. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://ift.tt/1lCHPzX Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

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[New post] Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 11 December 2015

WordPress.com bobmakin posted: "The Constitutional (Dissolution) case verdict will be delivered on December 16, next Wednesday.This date holds, said Justice Aru, even though the former Opposition, which had brought the case, had wanted Parliament to sit from next Monday, December 14, as" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Vanuatu Daily Digest Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 11 December 2015 by bobmakin The Constitutional (Dissolution) case verdict will be delivered on December 16, next Wednesday.This date holds, said Justice Aru, even though the former Opposition, which had brought the case, had wanted Parliament to sit from next Monday, December 14, as previously proposed by the Acting Speaker as a date for the Second Ordinary sitting. All submissions were presented yesterday in the Supreme Court's Dumbea hothouse. Ronald Warsal, representing the Opposition side, argued that 5 weeks and 3 days for the Head of State to decide on dissolution was "too long" a time to wait following the Council of Ministers' decision and at a time when the Prime Minister was running a minority government. Daily Post's Jane Joshua carries an excellent report of yesterday's court hearing, today. President Lonsdale's counsel, Ishmael Kalsakau, argued that in two similar past cases the President's use of the dissolution was at his "unfettered discretion." Daily Post today also has Air Vanuatu announcing a major restructuring which it is hoped will lead to its re-certification on the IATA operational safety audit register. Some staff redundancy is expected with the project to restructure. 150 exam marking teachers are furious that their contracts are not being properly honoured. There is it seems, presently, no budget to pay for their services which have been ongoing since June. These are services for their work in creating exam papers since June and then marking them. They have been told they will be paid next year. Malvatumauri President , Chief Seni Mao Tirsupe, says it is not yet the right time to organise the reconciliation the visiting chiefs from the north had sought. Daily Post reports this was in connection with the imprisonment of the 14 MPs recently. He appealed for peace and calm until the political situation returns to normalcy. Many chiefs and people would hope, too, that Chief Seni Mau Tirsupe might soon be returned to his position of presidency of the Vanuatu Cultural Council, a post in which, as required by his Malvatumauri title, he was performing highly commendably until put aside by one of the now imprisoned ministers. Custom and culture should also be returned to normalcy the public feels. (Digest Editor's observation and comment) bobmakin | December 11, 2015 at 12:26 pm | Categories: The News, Digested | URL: http://wp.me/p2A4RK-Fw Comment    See all comments    Like Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Vanuatu Daily Digest. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://ift.tt/1lz4InQ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

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[New post] Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 10 December 2015

WordPress.com bobmakin posted: "The Supreme Court is sitting this afternoon to hear the Constitutional Case No. 822 which deals with the validity of the Dissolution of Parliament, now acase. The Court did not sit at 9 am as intended in order to allow all lawyers to have more time to fil" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Vanuatu Daily Digest Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 10 December 2015 by bobmakin The Supreme Court is sitting this afternoon to hear the Constitutional Case No. 822 which deals with the validity of the Dissolution of Parliament, now acase. The Court did not sit at 9 am as intended in order to allow all lawyers to have more time to file their responses. Former Opposition MPs and Kenneth Natapei are basing their case on article 43 of the Constitution, says Radio Vanuatu. This section deals with the collective responsibility of ministers relating to any dissolution. Daily Post today points out that young people who have reached voting age and have not been registered yet on the electoral roll will not be able to vote at the planned post Dissolution election on 22 January. Radio Vanuatu starts off today with an announcement of the Luganville Municipality Electoral Disputes Committee saying that the election of three candidates in the Luganville town election is null and void. They were elected in the Sarakata, West and Central wards. They have been given time to appeal. The former Minister of Finance, Willie Jimmy Tapangararua, has told Radio Australia he will appeal the decision of his conviction under the Leadership Code Act. He bases his appeal on the belief that one cannot be tried twice for the same crime. He added that the 14 other MPs convicted and imprisoned would also be appealing. Daily Post reports Luganville businessman Ruiqi Yao has pleaded guilty to 11 charges over contraband cigarettes. He is expected to appear in the Supreme Court for judgement on Friday. 294 cartons of cigarettes were imported in galvanised pipes which had been sealed. Recently appointed Caretaker Public Works Minister Don Ken has wasted no time in terminating two staff over alleged misconduct. (Daily Post) Daily Post reports former senior geologist in Vanuatu, Sandy Macfarlane, has been alarmed to see a BBC reporter using shots of part of Takara's almost non-existent beach to suggest people there "are being driven from their homes by rising sea level." In fact Takara and Undine Bay have been rising at around a millimetre a year for the past 0.6 million years. The BBC reporter was likely using his "evidence" in relation to Climate Change and COP 21. But Takara has been rising for a lot longer than anthropogenic climate change has been going on. Vanuatu is on the rising edge of the Pacific Plate as the Australian Plate is submerged thereunder, says Macfarlane. Quite a distinction. We are thus not only being given a leg-up by Australian Aid, but also by the Australian Plate. bobmakin | December 10, 2015 at 2:17 pm | Categories: The News, Digested | URL: http://wp.me/p2A4RK-Fv Comment    See all comments    Like Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Vanuatu Daily Digest. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://ift.tt/1HVOPlb Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

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Google Alert - Melanesia

Melanesia Weekly update ⋅ December 9, 2015 NEWS dailytelegraph.com.au Unspoilt paradise in the islands of Melanesia dailytelegraph.com.au The Solomon Islands has some of the best diving in the world. Picture: Kirkland Images. MY ADVENTURE began in Honiara, a ramshackle port town ... Flag as irrelevant TravelPulse The Solomon Islands Puts Itself on the Tourist Map TravelPulse The Western South Pacific, also known as Melanesia, is on the tourist map for Australians and for tropical-island aficionados across the globe. Flag as irrelevant More interest from athletes Fiji Times THE Melanesian Athletics Championship has been getting interest from outside the Melanesia region and organisers are hoping to accommodate all. Flag as irrelevant See more results | Edit this alert You have received this email because you have subscribed to Google Alerts. Unsubscribe | View all your alerts Receive this alert as RSS feed Send Feedback

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[New post] Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 9 December 2015

WordPress.com bobmakin posted: "Mark the January national election date as January 22. The Electoral Commission and Caretaker Prime Minister have agreed on the date, Daily Post announces on page 1 today. Interested candidates have begun flocking to the Electoral Office already to collec" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Vanuatu Daily Digest Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 9 December 2015 by bobmakin Mark the January national election date as January 22. The Electoral Commission and Caretaker Prime Minister have agreed on the date, Daily Post announces on page 1 today. Interested candidates have begun flocking to the Electoral Office already to collect forms and information. There can be no new registration of voters, but Radio Vanuatu is giving announcements as to the period and means of new card issuance to already registered voters who have lost or filled their cards and need renewal. As of today the election is on 22 January. The Caretaker Opposition challenges the dissolution in court tomorrow, so maybe only mark the election date in pencil. Post's big story on 5 December was the VT 230 million payout to ex-MPs in view of the dissolution: their gratuities. The 14 imprisoned MPs also receive part of this amount. Today Post reports the Government lack of VT 390 million to retire public servants. Those informing the Daily Post confirmed that 55 is the retiring age for civil servants but many senior staff were being kept on owing to experience and professional qualifications. The sources agreed that politicians were often behind the push to have certain civil servants removed based on a personal vendetta. However, PSC Chairman John Morrison Willie has stated he would not be pushed to terminate officers without a valid, legal reason. The tax payer might wonder how the Caretaker Council of Ministers could agree to the MP payouts at this time before checking on availability of funds. Another political issue was raised in this morning's Radio Vanuatu News, the Prime Minister declaring that the appointment of Samson Samsen to a ministerial post was valid because Samsen's and the 2 other ministerial appointments took place on the morning before the afternoon dissolution of Parliament. Samsen's transfer had been discussed with him whilst he was still Deputy Speaker. The SLO had agreed. 113 trainee teachers graduated at VITE, the Vanuatu Institute of Teachers Education yesterday. Education Director Roy Obed warmly congratulated the graduates. "You owe the day to your parents. They were the ones who paved the way and allowed you to be here today," said Obed. He could not promise immediate placements for all, but hoped that one day they would be on the government's payroll. Lily Wilson is the graduate whose academic achievement was described as the most outstanding. She reminded the graduates to become agents for change. (Radio Vanuatu and Daily Post) Daily Post has the unions dis-agreeing with the Chamber of Commerce published proposals for leave. The Tripartite Labour Advisory Council, says VCTU Secretary General Ephraim Kalsakau, rejected the same proposals on several occasions previously. Daily Post reports the passing away of former Vureas High School well respected and much loved principal Fred Tari, 61, on Saturday night at Vila Central Hospital. His body was flown to Ambae for burial at Lolovenue after stopping at Vureas for former colleagues and students to pay their last respects. bobmakin | December 9, 2015 at 3:24 pm | Categories: The News, Digested | URL: http://wp.me/p2A4RK-Fu Comment    See all comments    Like Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Vanuatu Daily Digest. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://ift.tt/1IDJcrT Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

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[New post] Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 8 December 2015

WordPress.com bobmakin posted: "The news is very much "in brief" today, for various reasons, and may continue thus this week ... Radio Vanuatu has ... The Prime Minister's Office says the International Anti-Corruption Day is being moved to next year. This was due to be marke" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Vanuatu Daily Digest Vanuatu Daily News Digest | 8 December 2015 by bobmakin The news is very much "in brief" today, for various reasons, and may continue thus this week ... Radio Vanuatu has ... The Prime Minister's Office says the International Anti-Corruption Day is being moved to next year. This was due to be marked tomorrow. The delay is said to be because of late funding arrival. The Supreme Court sits Thursday to decide on whether the Dissolution of Parliament was correctly done, as already reported in the Digest.. As regards the Bribery Case, Willie Jimmy indicated he would vacate the finance minister position as soon as he received the printed judgement. This follows the Supreme Court enforcing the Leadership Code Act in the matter of those convicted of bribery, and Jimmy. Daily Post today ... covers the 10-year ban on holding public office for the 15 leaders guilty on the government side when the Supreme Court invoked the Leadership Code Act. There are excellent portrait photos of all 15. Former Opposition MPs are questioning the legality of the appointments of three new ministers. They claim Samson Samsen (Youth Development) and Havo Moli (Foreign Affairs) swore and signed their oaths after Parliament had been declared dissolved. Government comment was not available. New Public Works Minister Don Ken was depicted being welcomed by the PM with a cordial handshake. Another report has the Minister and a delegation attending a public meeting at Worlep village and being strongly told by the Acting President of the Provincial Council that Malekula has witnessed many project launchings which never get realized. The delegation was there for the launching of another rural water supply project. bobmakin | December 8, 2015 at 4:37 pm | Categories: The News, Digested | URL: http://wp.me/p2A4RK-Ft Comment    See all comments    Like Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Vanuatu Daily Digest. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://ift.tt/1OfbTYZ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

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