Chief Isaac Worwor officiating at the 2018 Chief Day on March 5. By Jonas Cullwick
Chief Isaac Worwor officiating at the 2018 Chief Day on March 5. By Jonas Cullwick

The caretaker President of the Port Vila Town Council of Chiefs and member of the caretaker Malvatumauri council of chiefs has raised concerns about what he said was a new method being introduced for election of Malvatumauri, island councils of chiefs and the two urban councils of chiefs due next month.

All the councils of chiefs including Malvatumauri were dissolved last month and all of them are now serving in caretaker roles.

“The new method for elections will be a surprise to everyone because even the national council of chiefs, Malvatumauri, was not aware of it because it was not put through to the council to know how the new election procedure would be undertaken,” Chief Worwor, who is a member of Malvatumauri said.

‘The new election system will result in a lot of confusions in the nakamals,” he added.

Since the Malvatumauri was established in 1981, this is the first time a new voting system will be implemented, but Chief Worwor said he was not against new election systems, except that it should be put to the Malvatumauri for consultation before it was approved for use.

He said since Malvatumauri was dissolved last month, members have not yet been paid their gratuity payments.

He said the office of the Customary Land Management Office (CLMO) and those in the office of Malvatumauri are currently visit the islands of the country speaking with Area Council Secretary to inform them of the new election process, which he said should first be done with Malvatumauri.

The Daily Post hoped to get clarification from the government in the coming days as everyone in CLMO and Malvatumauri administrations are all out in the field.

Source: Vanuatu Daily Post

Jonas Cullwick, a former General Manager of VBTC is now a Senior Journalist with the Daily Post. Contact: jonas@dailypost.vu. Cell # 678 5460922

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