People in Vanuatu believe politicians need to look beyond their own four walls and work to improve the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.

And many who talked to RNZ Pacific said they believed the opposition was partly at fault by constantly blocking the government from carrying out its mandate.

On Friday, the Vanuatu Supreme Court ruled in favour of the opposition, which contested a decision by Parliament’s Speaker regarding what constitutes an absolute parliamentary majority.

• READ MORE: Vanuatu Supreme Court rules in favour of opposition in Parliament majority case
• Other Vanuatu no-confidence votes

The court granted a stay order until today, 3pm, to allow the government time to appeal the decision.

The government was set to appeal, RNZ Pacific confirms.

‘People suffer’
However, people in the capital Port Vila seem to be unhappy with the political impasse, raising concerns about its impact.

Noel Faionalave, 60, from Shefa province told RNZ Pacific people were suffering because of the politicians.

Faionalave said ni-Vanuatu people wanted to see development, but the opposition appeared to be against it.

“The opposition makes the situation very hard for the people. Many people in Vanuatu want the government to stay for four years,” he said.

“The opposition is trying to try to throw out the government . . . now people suffer. We want to see development. But opposition wants to stop development.”

Faionalave believes because the government has only been in power for nine months it must be given time to show results.

It is a sentiment shared by Hendon Kalsakau, 65, a tribal chief on Irifa island.

“This situation is affecting deeply the people of my country,” Kalsakau said.

Grassroots level
“People who have jobs, they’re not really feeling the impact of this crisis that we are going through. But people from the grassroots level are affected.

“We don’t need this crisis. We must learn to respect each other.”

Harris Apos, 50, from Toroba province, said Vanuatu’s leaders should focus on the development interests of the community rather than fighting for positions of power.

Apos said the current political dilemma meant that areas needing improvements such as infrastructure development, health and education, were being neglected.

He said if the situation continued then “it will be difficult for people”.

“I think it’s better to let the government run for maybe one year or two years, then we can see what’s going on.”

He said a government’s performance could not be properly put to the test in the short period it has been in power.

Time for churches to help
Apos said it was time to bring in the churches and traditional leaders to help the government.

“In Vanuatu, we believe in kastom and so it’ll be better for the chiefs to come in and help the government.

“We can organise and help the leader of opposition and the prime minister and let them sit down and decide the financial part and let them sit down and decide how we can work together and rebuild.”

MPs ‘don’t care’
There are concerns that the current political climate will continue to go around in circles until there are more women in Parliament.

Cathy Solomon, 64, who is originally from Malampa province, has been living in Port Vila for the last four decades.

She said the elected representatives of the people have defeated the purpose of being an MP by “concentrating more on their personal interests”.

She said there was a lot of things that people needed for the country to move forward.

“The rural people are still waiting for help. The people are suffering in terms of development,” she said.

“The dispensaries that have been built in rural areas for the last 40 years remained the same, the human resource, it remains the same, how people live in the community, it remains the same.

“How do the people of this nation benefit from our independence? How do the children, the women, disability and disadvantaged people get their needs met?”

Solomon said 90 percent of the population, who put the MPs in Parliament, found that their needs were not being met.

“These politicians are too busy fighting for power, fighting for their money, fighting for their own benefit, fighting for their happiness.”

More women parliamentarians
Solomon said she feared that without more women being in the House the situation would become worse in the coming years.

Vanuatu currently has only one female member of Parliament, who has called for ni-Vanuatu people to hold their MPs to account.

“That’s why we need to get women [in Parliament] so they can challenge them…because women carry the heart of development,” Solomon said.

“Women represent the heart of the family, the children, the disabled, and also they want to see the welfare of the family grow and improve.

“But if women are still missing in Parliament, there will be no development for this nation.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

To pardon those convicted of betraying the public trust does a disservice to Vanuatu.

It is disrespectful to the rule of law. It ignores the will of the people. It undermines the republic.

These men are convicted criminals. Yes, they are also fathers, family members, even high-ranking members of their community. But they did wrong. They undermined Parliament and government. They acted against the interests of their own people.

They broke the law.

READ MORE: Vanuatu president still ‘consulting’ over pardons

Make no mistake: If these men are pardoned, they will contest in 2020. Some may well be elected. If they are, there is every likelihood they will go back to their old ways.

They will win. And the country will lose.

President Baldwin Lonsdale wisely stated that no one is above the law. While he was alive, he ruled out any possibility of a pardon. If he were still in office today, there would be no discussion.

Other ways for mercy
There are other ways to show mercy. Those who are still in prison can have their sentences commuted. They can be forgiven under kastom. They can perform a sorry ceremony to the nation, with the President presiding.

The only reason to pardon these men is to let them get back into politics again. That would be a huge step back for the nation.

The President wants to show mercy, but his role, according to the Constitution, is to “symbolise the unity of the nation”. To pardon these people would create disunity. It would justify criminal behaviour.

It would undermine the authority of Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek and the rest of the judiciary.

A pardon doesn’t heal. It creates division. It divides the powerful from the weak.

A pardon says there are two kinds of justice: One for us, and one for them.

Forward, or backward?
The President would be wrong to pardon these men. And the Justice Minister is wrong to ask him to.

The only reason Don Ken isn’t seeking a pardon for himself is because he got immunity from the Public Prosecutor in exchange for his testimony against the others.

The President needs to think about how future generations will remember him. Will he be the man who shared Baldwin Lonsdale’s unwavering will to protect the nation?

Or will he be the man who bent to the will of others?

Will he take the country forward, or backward?

Dan McGarry is the media director of the Vanuatu Daily Post group. This editorial was published in the Post yesterday. The Pacific Media Centre republishes VDP articles with permission.

Meet Mal Menaringmanu, known to many as HRH Charles, Prince of Wales.

During his brief visit to Vanuatu on Saturday, Prince Charles was greeted by one of the most lavish displays of kastom seen on these shores, arguably since his mother Queen Elizabeth visited on the royal yacht in 1974.

Hundreds turned out to see the Prince as he arrived at the Chiefs’ Nakamal in Port Vila.

Accompanied by Malvatumauri president Chief Seni Mau Tirsupe and welcomed by dozens of high ranking chiefs, the Prince walked on red mats laid the length of the roadway from the gate to the entrance of the nakamal itself.

On arriving outside the nakamal, Prince Charles presented the president of the Malvatumaturi with gifts.

The gifts given in return by the chiefs of Vanuatu were quite literally priceless. Chiefly titles are not bestowed lightly, and carry obligation as well as honour. To bestow a title on even a royal prince is something to be done with care and consideration.

The prince was dressed in chiefly regalia before the ceremony could begin.

Kastom clothes
Pentecost Chief Viraleo, leader of the Turaga kastom movement, bedecked the Prince with ornately woven kastom clothes. Although these clothes are normally worn over bare skin, the Prince was allowed to retain his suit and tie.

A leaf of the local namele palm was placed in the back of the Prince’s attire. The namele leaf is accompanied by extremely strong tabu. It is a sign of chiefly authority, and is present on Vanuatu’s coat of arms and in various other official insignia.

The mere presence of a namele leaf in a doorway or gate, for example, is enough to bar anyone from passing unless they have chiefly authorisation.

The Prince was then led to the side of the nakamal, where he was presented with a nalnal, a customary club and sign of authority.

Under normal circumstances, a newly designated chief would be expected to use the club to kill at least one pig. Although pigs were present at the ceremony, their sacrifice was omitted in recognition of the Prince’s stance against animal cruelty.

Chief Tirsupe and the Prince then shared a coconut shell filled with kava, an intoxicating beverage made from a plant thought to have derived in Vanuatu. It is a popular drink throughout the Pacific islands, and is a necessary part of many kastom ceremonies.

Prince Charles then received the name of Mal Menaringmanu. The name was chosen to reflect his high rank in the world. The name is derived from three words:

Symbolising chiefly authority
“Mal” refers to men in leadership position, it represents a bird, which symbolises chiefly authority.

“Manareng” or “Menareng” means a very high chief residing in the mountain of a king.

“Manu” means ‘people’.

Taken together, the title, according to the Malvatumauri council of chiefs, is “more than just a high chief. It is a name that reflects authority that is wise and unwavering and whose roots are as old as the mountains, and whose mandate… stems from a higher existence….”

A nearly unprecedented gathering of high chiefs from across the country was present for the event, an honour extended only to few.

Once the ceremony was complete, the entire delegation accompanied the Prince in an exuberant, uproarious procession led by kastom dancers from Tanna and other islands.

The procession led the Prince down to nearby Saralana Park, where a crowd of thousands stood by to welcome the Prince.

His first words of greeting, spoken in Bislama, or Vanuatu pidgin, were met with a resounding roar from the crowd.

Celebratory dance
Meanwhile, a massive kastom dance was unfolding. An estimated 200 men and women from Tanna performed a celebratory dance in the field, while another group performed a kastom story immediately below the stage.

At the end of the dance, Prince Charles was presented with a gift from a chief from one of the Tanna communities that claims Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, as one of their own.

An honour guard of youth in kastom attire lined the front of the stage.

The Prince of Wales’ stay in Vanuatu was brief, but it was an occasion that will be remembered for some time to come.

The Prince Phillip followers achieved another coup before the day was done. In his final minutes before his departure, the Prince had a one-on-one encounter with JJ, who hails from Yakel village, at the heart of the Prince Philip community.

He passed on a message from the community to Charles’ father, and asked Charles to pass on a walking stick, to aid his return to Vanuatu some day.

Dan McGarry is media director of the Vanuatu Daily Post Group.

Pastor Tallis Obed Moses has been sworn in as President of the Vanuatu Republic.

Nineteen votes secured this victory, which was warmly acknowledged by all dignitaries and Electoral College people present at the ceremony yesterday.

The new occupant of the highest constitutional position paid a highly articulate tribute to his predecessor, President Baldwin Lonsdale who died suddenly from a heart attack last month while serving in office.

Then President Moses, 63, took centre place as kastom ceremonies were performed outside Parliament where the election took place.

President Moses was trained in theology and evangelism in Vanuatu and Australia.

He has previously served as moderator of the Presbyterian Church General Assembly and as parish pastor in half a dozen parishes from Erromango to Luganville.

He stresses the need for unity in Vanuatu — the kind of unity which enabled Vanuatu leaders to achieve the unity of the republic as was desired at Independence.

In other Vanuatu news: the government, municipality and police are determined to avoid the level of violence recently experienced in a Port Vila nightclub, including two tragic deaths.

Police are taking strong action against premises which do not follow their licensed requirements, copies of which must be produced on demand to the uniformed officers.

Patrons are required to carry identity papers showing date of birth.

• Vanuatu president who struck a ‘decisive blow’ against corruption dies

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

Knee-jerk resentment of someone else’s success, as elsewhere, is sadly a feature of Vanuatu life, so the kind of comment seen below, prompted by the feature film Tanna‘s global success  — and now Oscar nomination, is not unexpected:

Thanks and good tumas blo save’ but my comments is, I think my people have been exploited and although the film is making its name to the top, how are these custom village people, the film actors, the island and the country been compensated for what they have to go through to produce this film including any protocol in this country? Can some one reply to this comments with some evidence?

Exploitation is a serious claim to make, however, so we are taking this opportunity to set the record straight.

Protecting kastom mo kalja is taken very seriously in Vanuatu. The Vanuatu Cultural Centre — as the commentor may already know — has stringent protocols in place to prevent exploitation of communities.

Filmcrews must get prior approval to work in Vanuatu, are carefully monitored while working in the country, and must give a copy of their unedited footage to the Cultural Centre when they leave.

On Tanna, the Tafea Cultural Centre supervises all cultural protocols.

In the film Tanna‘s case, The filmmakers went a step further – they opened a kastom rod (a relationship built on mutual respect and kastom) between themselves, the chiefs and the community. This connection is arguably a major reason why audiences have responded so well to Tanna – the genuine, heartfelt connection between the filmmakers, the cast and the community is apparent.

Vanuatu Daily Digest reached out to the filmmakers for clarification, and Janita Suter, wife of co-director Bentley Dean and location producer for the film had this to say:

“The film was only possible through the auspices of the Vanuatu Culture Centre at a national and local level, who insist and ensure that all people involved in the productions of films in Vanuatu are dealt with fairly and respectfully — including representation and payment during production (both traditional and financial).

“Beyond this The Vanuatu Culture Centre and community of Yakel are in charge of DVD sales for all of Vanuatu, including how the film is distributed and profits. Our aim is that people should continue to benefit from their cultural output.

“We’re regularly in contact with the community, in fact one was recently staying with us! The film continues to give back to the community and the chiefs have been happy with this arrangement right from the beginning. The chiefs maintain there is a strong kastom road between us.

“It is good to clarify this sort of commentary. There were very deliberate safeguards to ensure no ‘exploitation’ occurred and that the correct ‘monetary compensation’ was made for those involved in the film. This was all arranged through the official relevant Vanuatu institutions described above, as is the correct process for filming in Vanuatu, as well as the traditional chiefs of the villages involved.

“If people have queries on this they can speak with the chiefs of Yakel or Jacob Kapere from the Cultural Centre, or the cultural director of Tanna, JJ Nako (if you can find him!).”

• From Tanna to Hollywood: Film success for Vanuatu love story
• Oscars: Tanna marks first foreign language nomination for Australia