Govt earns vt26M from candidate applications; conspiracy judgement delivered on Friday

Government has generated vt26 million through candidacy application fees for the upcoming January 22 General Election.

The current Charge d’Affaires at Vanuatu’s embassy in Beijing, Willie Toama has filed a constitutional challenge against the Electoral Office, after being declared ineligible to contest the election. Toama is hoping to stand for the Moderate Alliance in the Tanna constituency.

The judgement in the conspiracy case against the 11 convicted MPs and their lawyer Wilson Aumai will be delivered next Friday by Senior magistrate Peter Moses, after judgement was adjourned last week. The group were charged with conspiracy to defeat the course of justice after the then Parliamentary Speaker Marcellino Pipite, as Acting President, tried to pardon himself and his fellow MPs after they were found guilty of bribery. Three lawyers also originally indicted in the conspiracy case were subsequently granted immunity from prosecution by the public prosecutor, Josiah Naigulevu.

Also of interest, a new bi-lingual publication by Laurence Ramon and Chanel Sam A Guide to the Remarkable Flora of Vanuatu / Plantes remarquables du Vanuatu has been published by the New York Botanical Garden Press and Biotope. All species are illustrated with colour drawings to enable easy identification. It is available to buy online here.

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