A senior pastor in Vanuatu has spoken out against kava drinking, saying it is responsible for laziness and lack of development there.
Pastor Kaltanak, from the country's biggest village, Mele Village, says kava drinking impacts on economic growth as drinkers have to sleep off hangovers instead of going to work.
He is calling on all Mele villagers who drink kava to stop.
The village has just formed its Shefa Provincial Government Area Council to develop the village area politically and economically.
Last year, the former government passed the Area Council Act which empowers the villagers to negotiate their own economic future with foreign development partners as equal partners.
