Does Corruption Prevail Within The Vanuatu Government?

By Author: DrLouis Beaumont
Total Articles: 16
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Hard on the heels of a recent government scandal (9 October 2015), when 14 members of the Vanuatu Parliament, were sentenced to between three and four years'jail for the crimes of corruption and bribery of officials; an even bigger scandal now threatens to reveal more corrupt business practises by ministers and senior officials, this time involving sums in excess of $2 million USD.

VRS, originator & exclusive Distributor of the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) has lodged a lawsuit against the Vanuatu Government, alleging shady governmental dealings, perpetrated by a few self-serving Vanuatu government officials. (Sources say Chinese company PRG Consulting Limited is oiling the wheels!). This legal action involves: The Vanuatu Citizenship Commission, Immigration Department, the former Attorney General, The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office (as the Minister responsible for Citizenship.)

This law-suit (Civil Action 1089 of 2015) alleges breach of contract, inducement to breach (including by means of acts that, in themselves break the law) and intentional damage with ramifications ...
... so severe, it could bankrupt the Vanuatu government, since the damages being sought by VRS could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars!

It's not just VRS. Relying on its contract, VRS has appointed agents who have invested time, money and, worst of all, their personal reputations in promoting CIIP only to be told that, when they submit their cases, the government is not even willing to accept the hundreds and thousands, the millions of dollars that their clients wish to contribute to Vanuatu.

Do signed legally binding contracts mean nothing to the Vanuatu government? Can a nation that has had to appeal to foreigners for rehabilitation aid afford to refuse to accept business in a way that not only loses the intended revenue but exposes them to multi-million dollar lawsuits to boot?

Can Vanuatu survive losing its international business reputation, yet again?

Can they afford to be seen by the world as dishonest, unscrupulous and uncaring of the efforts and reputations of the network of people investing in promoting their interest?

Breach of contract is a very serious offence in any event; however when a legally binding agreement is deliberately broken at the hands of a few greedy politicians, threatening the future financial health of Vanuatu, it is time for crooked heads to roll.

Footnotes:
According to the above legal case and information provided by VRS to its agent network, the Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP) was initially proposed and developed by Vanuatu Registry Services Limited, in late 2012. Vanuatu duly passed and enacted all necessary legislation and regulations, changing its constitution to recognise dual citizenship in December 2013 (gazetted in January 2014). The objective of CIIP is to create local jobs, stimulate the economy, help to keep the national budget balanced and to facilitate and attract overseas investors. CIIP is managed exclusively by VRS under a legal contract with the Vanuatu government and the funds raised are and have been applied strictly in accordance with the provisions of the law and contracts with the Government.