Transparency Vanuatu says the past year has been a relatively settled one for the country's politics, which could be a good omen.
Vanuatu parliament building in the capital Port Vila. Photo: RNZI/ Walter Zweifel
It's one year since the country went to the polls to vote in a snap election called after half the previous government was jailed for corruption.
The country has been plagued by regular motions of no confidence and changes of government since independence in 1980.
A board member for Transparency Vanuatu, Evelyne Toa, said many people went to those elections with a sense of optimism that there could be change.
She said the new government had been pushing for large scale reforms to bring stability, some of which have proved controversial and would be challenging to implement.
However, Ms Toa said things do appear to be more settled, but the hard work for the government was yet to come.
"One year on, but that doesn't mean that we are strong and stable," she said.
"After one year we're still, you know, trying our best to have this government going on for the next three years. So that's their aim, they always talk [about] their commitment to political stability but that will depend on our elected members."
