Enforcement agencies, including the Vanuatu Police Force and the Public Land Transport Authority (PLTA), are strengthening coordination to improve safety and visitor experiences during cruise ship visits to Port Vila.

Minister of Justice responsible for the Commission of Inquiry (COI), Job Andy, tabled in the Council of Ministers (COM) on Thursday this week the COI into the Citizenship Commission and related matters, led by the late Peter Bong.

Minister of Internal Affairs Andrew Solomon Napuat has warned that the Port Vila City Council (PVCC) could face dissolution if key governance and administrative issues are not resolved during its five-month suspension.

The Council of Ministers (COM) has approved additional funding of VT383,837,277 for this year's government-sponsored scholarship recipients.

The Ministry of Lands is set to begin implementing the 2024 amendment to the Land Leases Act [CAP 163], Subsection 32B, which extends the maximum lease term on public land from 75 years to up to 99 years.

Local manufacturers and exporters in Vanuatu are gearing up to formalise a new association aimed at giving their sector a strong, unified voice. The first meeting of the Vanuatu Association of Manufacturers and Exporters (VAME) is scheduled for 11 February…

Concerns have been raised after the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) vessel RVS Sokomanu reportedly departed Luganville Port around midnight en route to TORBA Province, prompting questions about whether the voyage breached national biosecurity regulations designed to prevent the spread of…

The Public Service Commission (PSC), chaired by Meto Nganga, has formally briefed Acting President of the Republic of Vanuatu, Stephen Felix, on the recent transfers of several Directors General (DGs) within the Public Service, while reaffirming the Commission’s constitutional independence…

Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities (MIPU), Xavier Emmanuel Harry, has confirmed that the government, through the ministry he leads, will build jetties on islands that are only accessible by sea.

The Government of Vanuatu has reiterated that the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) role is to focus on its constitutional mandate of human resources management, not asset management.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Jay Ngwele has questioned the government’s decision to establish new Commissions of Inquiry (COIs) following public discussion on social media after the coalition government, led by Prime Minister (PM) Jotham Napat, declined to release the…

Users of the Vanuatu Department of Immigration Pre-Clearance Online Portal have reported difficulties accessing the system due to missing confirmation emails required to activate accounts.

Leader of the Opposition Ishmael Kalsakau has criticised the Government’s decision to appoint two new Commissions of Inquiry (COIs) into the citizenship scheme and diplomatic passports, describing the move as a waste of public funds and questioning whether it aims…

The Australian Government-funded Wharf Road landslide clearance project, valued at VT189.5 million (approximately AUD $2.3 million), is progressing on schedule. Authorities confirmed the funding is focused on short-term debris removal and safety protection works rather than full road repairs.

Fiji is all set to welcome ministers and Attorneys General (AGs), including those from Vanuatu, to the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, which will be held in Nadi from 9 to 12 February 2026.

The Government has acknowledged growing public concern regarding matters that may contravene Vanuatu’s laws, as well as the need for greater transparency and accountability in public office.

Reports from Melsisi, on Central Pentecost, say that 30 Chinese nationals working on the tar-seal road and Melsisi wharf were admitted to Melsisi Health Centre last night for fish poisoning.

South Santo chiefs and local authorities are calling on visitors to respect newly developed infrastructure and keep rivers clean, following increasing cases of vandalism and rubbish dumping.

Commissioner of Police (COMPOL) Kalshem Bongran has reassured the Leader of the Opposition, Ishmael Kalsakau, and Deputy Leader Jay Ngwele that the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) treats all registered complaints fairly and equally, regardless of who the complainants are.

More than 130 residents from Mele, Melemaat, and nearby areas attended free medical checkups on Friday morning last week at the Mele Imere T’fare Maurifanga Health Center, provided by the Chinese Medical Team (CMT) currently operating in Vanuatu.

The people of Torres in TORBA Province said there should be elections, either provincial or general, every year to maintain government services on the islands, especially remote ones.

Twelve elected Port Vila City Council (PVCC) councillors have filed a major civil claim in the Supreme Court, challenging the legality of the current Lord Mayor and accusing the Minister of Internal Affairs of unlawful interference in council governance.

The new opposition Whip and a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanna, Andrew Wilbur Napuat, has been assured by the office of the Ombudsman that the report following his complaint about an alleged rental agreement involving the Minister of Infrastructure…

Brunet Enterprise Générale said that if it had been informed of the water protection regulations earlier, it would not have installed its asphalt equipment at Zone 3 of the Matnakara Water Protection Zone.

The vessel now known as MV Ocean Wandererhas been renamed under Indigenous ownership, continuing decades of essential service to TORBA Province, according to Peter Terrytikel, Director of Indigenous Island Shipping Services Limited.

Twenty years ago, an Australian music teacher Barbara Idieder and her ni-Vanuatu student Jimmy Philemon, teamed up to advance music education in Vanuatu and make it more sustainable. Their journey influenced how music is taught in schools and has resulted…

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) was expected to conclude its investigation into the country’s biggest robbery at Port Vila International Airport yesterday, the court heard this week.

Vanuatu will host the largest health outreach initiative in its history following the formalisation of a partnership between the government, through the Ministry of Health (MOH), and the Esesson Foundation, advanced under the leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Jotham Napat.

Residents living near the Port Havannah Marina construction site in Havannah Harbour have raised concerns after observing dead fish and crabs floating in the sea, prompting frustration within the local community.

Name: Tatavola Matas

Port Vila Deputy Mayor and Port Vila City Council (PVCC) member, Erdian Melipsis, has been formally charged with domestic violence and is currently on bail pending the completion of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) before the Magistrates’ Court.

Senior Magistrate Kibeon Nimbwen yesterday firmly reminded counsel that all accused persons are equal before the law, regardless of their social status or professional position.

Despite a strong presence of Municipal and Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) officers, some bus drivers in Port Vila continue to harass tourists during cruise ship arrivals, raising concerns that recent complaints and warnings have yet to bring meaningful change.

The Department of Water Resources (DoWR) has ordered Brunet Entreprise Générale to immediately cease its asphalt processing operations being conducted within Zone 3 of the Matnakara Water Protection Zone (MPZ).

Vanuatu National Hospital (VNH) is now offering acupuncture, an ancient practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) designed to promote health, wellness, and natural healing. The treatment is part of the services provided by the Chinese Medical Team currently assisting the…