Vanuatu has never seen an outpouring of sorrow and admiration such as it witnessed yesterday.

Many alive today may not see another in their lifetime.

Heads of state from Fiji, New Zealand and Australia all attended the state funeral, which was held in the Parliamentary rotunda, commonly known as the “pig’s tusk” because of its spiral architecture.

They were joined by dignitaries from China, the United States of America, Tonga and elsewhere.

The service for President Baldwin Lonsdale, who died early last Saturday morning, was offered by the Bishop of Melanesia — out of deference to Rev Lonsdale’s status as a clergyman in the Anglican church.

In front of a solemn gathering that included Vanuatu’s living former Presidents, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, his ministers and MPs.

Opposition Leader Ishmael Kalsakau and hundreds of people from all walks of life, the choir opened the service with a moving musical rendition of the 23rd Psalm.

Outside Parliament, thousands of school children and members of the public lined the road, waiting for the cortege that would escort the body of the late President to the airport, where it would be flown to the Banks islands, his home.

Festooned with flowers
Following the service, Rev Lonsdale’s casket was loaded onto the back of a flatbed truck festooned with flowers and the Vanuatu flag. It led a kilometre-long procession of hundreds of vehicles through the main streets of Port Vila.

The road was carpeted with flowers all along the procession route. In the Manples area, the road was lined with brightly coloured calicos. As the procession passed, the market vendors sang a song in the Tongoan language, a moving tribute to one of the most widely respected figures in Vanuatu since Father Walter Lini, the country’s first Prime Minister.

It is difficult to accurately estimate the number of people who lined the roughly six-kilometre long route, but there has been no similar public gathering in living memory.

This unprecedented display of grief and admiration was not limited to Vanuatu alone. In solidarity with this nation, flags flew at half mast yesterday in Australia, New Zealand and in other locations throughout the Pacific Islands.

The body was flown to the Banks islands yesterday, and the President will be mourned by the people of Torba province today. His body will be laid to rest in Sola, Vanua Lava tomorrow.

Dan McGarry is media director for the Vanuatu Daily Post group.

Vanuatu’s President Baldwin Jacobson Lonsdale has died at Vila Central Hospital early today after being rushed to hospital last night, reports Vanuatu Digest.

President Lonsdale, 67, had been Head of State since September 2014.

From Mota Lava island, Lonsdale was previously an Anglican priest, secretary-general of Torba Province.

He did his tertiary studies in Auckland, New Zealand, at St John’s Theological College.

President Lonsdale played a critical role in recent events in Vanuatu. While category 5 Cyclone Pam was battering Vanuatu in March 2015, President Lonsdale was attending a world conference on disaster risk reduction in Japan, and his emotional appeals for international assistance helped galvanise the international humanitarian response to Cyclone Pam, reports Vanuatu Digest.

But arguably his greatest contribution came just seven months later in October 2015 when the then Speaker of Parliament, Marcellino Pipite, abused his position as Acting President to issue a “presidential pardon” to himself and 13 other MPs who had just been convicted of bribery.

The President, en route from Samoa during Pipite’s attempt to undermine the rule of law, returned to Vanuatu and immediately revoked the pardon.

Misuse of powers
During a televised address to the nation, President Lonsdale was visibly upset, expressing his “shame and sorrow” at Pipite’s misuse of his powers.

He vowed to “clean the dirt from my backyard”, telling Vanuatu’s people that “we as a nation have to stop these crooked ways”.

Following a failed appeal against his revocation of Pipite’s pardon, Lonsdale then dissolved Parliament and called a snap election.

President Lonsdale’s actions were widely seen as a decisive blow against Vanuatu’s culture of impunity for corrupt politicians, reports Vanuatu Digest.

Addressing the newly-elected MPs at the opening session of Parliament following the election, he described the new legislature as a “new chart for Vanuatu’s destiny”.

He will also be remembered for his leadership of Vanuatu’s Anglican church, and his strong support for kastom and for women’s rights.

The Vanuatu government is currently making arrangements with his family and Motalava chiefs for a state funeral.

Under the constitution, a new president will need to be elected by MPs and local government chairs within three weeks.

• Vanuatu Justice system alive and strong
• President Lonsdale and the Rainbow Warrior connection

Two lawyers from Australia have been taken on board the defence team representing 11 of the jailed Vanuatu politicians facing charges of conspiracy to defeat the course of justice.

The defendants charged in this case are: Marcellino Pipite, Paul Telukluk, Silas Yatan, Tony Nari, John Amos, Arnold Prasad, Tony Wright, Sebastien Harry, Thomas Laken, Jean Yves Chabot, and Jonas James.

When officiating the oath of a new Supreme Court judge this week, President Baldwin Lonsdale took the opportunity to thank Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek for services rendered to the nation in the 2015 judicial year.

“2015 was a challenging year for Vanuatu [and] we have witnessed that justice system is alive and is strong,” said the Head of State.

“We continue to encourage that justice always prevails in our nation, the Republic of Vanuatu.”

President Lonsdale was referring to last year’s history-making bribery case which landed 14 MPs in jail.

Four of the leaders jailed were State ministers.

Chief justice’s pledge
The case gained national, regional and international attention for Vanuatu’s judiciary.

With the appointment of another judge, Lonsdale said he looks forward to the continuous support and cooperation in upholding the nation’s justice system.

In response, Chief Justice Lunabek thanked the President on behalf of the judiciary for the kind and encouraging words to the judges and also to the system of justice.

“I stand before you today on behalf of the judiciary to let you know that we can do what we can do, and whatever we can do we’ll try our best to do it better,” Lunabek assured the President.

Thompson Marango is a reporter with the Vanuatu Daily Post.