20 Jan 2006

Vanuatu classifies buildings to allow protection

4:37 pm on 20 January 2006

Vanuatu's Minister for Internal Affairs has classified 77 buildings and sites in and around Port Vila as protected sites of historical, ethnological or artistic interest.

The Daily Post reports that George Wells has made the classifications using his powers under the "Preservation of Sites and Artefacts" Act.

This classification means that these building and sites cannot be destroyed or modified without permission from the Minister.

Under the provisions of the Act, owners of these buildings and sites now have 3 months to make any representations to the Minister regarding this classification, in particular any representations they wish to make opposing this classification.

Buildings on the list include the former lunatic asylum, the current national Archives building, and Ballande Centre where Shooters Bar is located.

The Vanuatu Cultural Centre is now preparing a further list of culturally important sites on Efate island for protection, which will be classified by the Minister in the next couple of months.

These sites are particularly those now threatened by development.