12 Mar 2012

Vanuatu chief worried at impact on village of huge political congress

7:44 pm on 12 March 2012

In Vanuatu, the paramount chief of Eratap Village, Andrew Kalpoilep, says his fears at the impact on his village of hosting a huge political party congress have come true.

The UMP congress has just been held in Eratap with an estimated two thousand delegates in the town.

But hundreds of them, hosted in local homes, have been forced to stay due to the lack of sea transport to ship them back to their islands.

Before the event Chief Kalpoilep had placed a namele leaf, a traditional taboo, at the entrance to the village to stop the event, due to concern his people would not be able to accommodate and feed the visitors.

He says he is not sure who is feeding the delegates, while his people have not been paid for the use of their homes and they want their money.