Transparency International Vanuatu on the commemoration of 25 years of Vanuatu's independence

Silver Jubilee Address by Marie-Noelle Ferrieux Patterson, President of TIV

In real terms, the 25th Anniversary of Vanuatu’s independence is no more important or significant than the 24th or the 26th. However, since the quarter century of many events has come to be seen as a watershed moment, this is as good a time as any to consider the achievements since 1980 as well as the missed opportunities.

Nearly three quarters of Vanuatu’s population were not even born at Independence and for most of them the 30th of July is no more than a day off school or work, if they are fortunate enough to be among the minority of the population who have a job.

One of our responsibilities as older people is to ensure that the next generation coming along is as much aware of their responsibilities and duties as they are of their rights.

If we insist only on our rights but ignore our responsibilities and duties there will be very little reason for us to optimistic about the future.

The Constitution of Vanuatu is absolutely clear about each citizen’s obligations, and there is a section in Part 11 – “Fundamental Duties” – that clearly sets this out.

In Part 11 Section 7, the Constitution states :-
“ Every person has the following fundamental duties to himself and his descendants and to others-

(b) to recognize that he can fully develop his abilities and advance his true interests only by active participation in the development of the national community;
(d) to protect the Republic of Vanuatu and to safeguard the national wealth, resources and environment in the interests of the present generation and of future generations;
(f) to respect the rights and freedoms of others and to cooperate fully with others in the interests of interdependence and solidarity;
and
(h) in the case of a parent, to support, assist and educate all his children, legitimate and illegitimate, and in particular to give them a true understanding of their fundamental rights and duties and of the national objectives and of the culture and customs of the people of Vanuatu;

The right of free speech should also bring with it the duty to speak out against corruption and other wrongdoings.

Unfortunately, after 25 years we are still locked into a system of politicians buying votes with cash and promises of jobs or other perks paid for by the public purse, and voters largely content to accept to be bought of in this corrosive and abusive system.

However, if no-one asks where the money has come from, how can we get out of the moral vacuum we are in? Paying lip service to Christianity and what we call “Melanesian Values” achieves nothing except the reinforcement of hypocrisy in our society.

It is time we asked ourselves, what exactly are Melanesian values? Is accepting whatever our elected leaders do, however wrong or illegal, a “value” we want to keep and pass on to the children of this country?

If our house was burning down would we simply stand by and watch it turn to ashes?

If the example set by leaders is shameful and unworthy, how can we blame the young for going astray? If on the one hand certain leaders speak patriotically about a sovereign and independent Vanuatu, yet on the other hand conspire to sell passports illegally, how can they possibly be respected and admired, and not despised.

Unfortunately, the consequences of years of corruption, and especially lack of action to combat it, are coming home to roost with every passing year.

Government doctors and teachers cannot get housing because hundreds of government houses were sold off unlawfully – and cheaply - by politicians, to themselves and to their party cronies. Countless wrongful appointments and wrongful dismissals have cost the government (and therefore the people) millions upon millions of vatu over the years. in court judgements and out of court settlements. There are many more examples of this.

These losses have meant less to spend on schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure. The mismanagement or cheap selling of other Government assets like VLD or Natai has wiped out years of work and training. Politicians continuing to use the national airline not as a vehicle to bring in tourists and investors but as a vehicle to reward party workers with board membership, free travel and allowances, has led to fewer people as well as other airlines coming into the country.

Many leaders do not care if lengthy lawsuits follow their wrongful actions. After all, why should they? The money paid out in court judgements or out-of-court settlements never comes from their own pockets and amount to tens of millions of vatus . In 25 years they have no need to fear any consequences.

Even on the few occasions when prosecutions have occurred, inappropriate pardoning has taken place, freeing unrepentant wrongdoers to sin again. Is it any surprise that the morale of the police and law enforcement agencies is so low?

What is the point of continuing to hold national business and self-reliance summits if we refuse to address the reasons why the roots of so many of our institutions are crumbling, and our credibility on the international scene is diminishing?

A system where only a few benefit is doomed to fail. Instead of managing the country’s resources being the priority, the priority is to give favors to political party supporters. So long as a family member or a party supporter has the job, how that came about is not analysed.

Simply reaching the milestone of twenty-five years is in itself no great achievement. Time passes by itself, with no help from us. Neither is education, investment, foreign aid and having a wealth of natural resources a guarantee of prosperity – if it was then many of Africa’s more than fifty countries would be so much better off than they actually are, instead of being, like so many Pacific countries, riddled with corruption.

I have no doubt that somewhere among the many young people of our beautiful country there is someone who can emerge as a leader in the years to come, someone to stand head and shoulders above all his or her peers and provide a vision for this country.

Politicians and other leaders can only be corrupt if we allow it. Once we find out they are corrupt and we do nothing about it, we are as much to blame as they are for the consequences. If we do nothing, we have sacrificed our right to complain. If you are willing to be “bought off” whether by money or inappropriate favours, you are part of the problem.

People’s expectations (whether they bother to vote or not) of having their leaders, as Big Men, taking care of them, putting pressure on them to pay for school fees, assist them in some feast, find a job for one of the party supporters or family member, ends up contributing to increasing corruption, and a culture of taking without giving. The result of this is the same as it would be if a gardener only harvested but did no replanting – eventually his fields are empty.

The biggest change of all must take place in the thinking and expectations of the ordinary members of the public. It is entirely unrealistic to expect the politicians to change since the current system provides them with their livelihood, their housing, their cars and travel allowances, and their ability to keep dispensing favours.

We must not let the euphoria of this 25th birthday party blind us to the harsh realities we are facing and will still be facing on the 31st of July when the party is over.

Having said all that, I would like to end by saying to the young
people of Vanuatu, that the future of this country is in your hands. There is no rule or law in this country that says you have to accept things as they always have been. It is your right and your duty to expect more from your leaders, and your duty to demand it.

Happy 25th Birthday

Transparency International Vanuatu
PO Box 355
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 25715
Fax: +678 25716
Email: tiv@vanuatu.com.vu