13 Sep 2012

Vanuatu watchdog to rein in politicians for alleged illegal land deals

7:13 pm on 13 September 2012

Vanuatu's acting chief ombudsman says his office is aware of an increasing number of alleged cases of leaders selling state land.

Alain Molgos' comment comes as the Minister of Lands, Steven Kalsakau, has been accused of ordering the allocation of public land at discount rates to Lands Department staff.

The land up for discount is adjacent to Port Vila's Independence Park.

Any such sale would be in contravention of the Council of Ministers' 2010 resolution which suspended the sale of state land.

Mr Molgos says some of Vanuatu's leaders seem unable to comply with those rules.

"Yes, some of the leaders have been involved in this and I have to say that there are some reports being issued by this office to inform the public of the extent of the abuse of power and so forth, and those people who have been implicated in this sale of lands in Vila or in Santo."

Alain Molgos