Head of State President Iolu Johnson Abbil has warned against adopting too much western life style and practises.

He said the value of Vanuatu’s custom were evidently lacking in the day-to-day life style of average ni-Vanuatu families who may have been practising too much of the western life style and practises.

President Abbil said there are a lot of traditional ways of life that can be practised alongside some of the western practices. He said suggest that people in Vanuatu should try to practice both systems in a more balanced way without losing their “roots” or their traditional identity which in-turn will benefit the future generations.

(Radio Vanuatu News 0100GMT / 25 March 2010 – Trans from Bislama)

Government technicians have vowed to work on Vanuatu’s first ‘Micro Small Medium Enterprise Policy which is expected to be submitted for Cabinet approval later this year.

Currently, Vanuatu businesses are operating without a specified business policy that clearly defines a small business from a medium business.

Director of Cooperatives and Business Development, Sowany Joseph confirmed the Co-operatives Act lacked provisions to address businesses.

The initiative to draw up the new policy came as a result of a one-day workshop organised by the Co-operatives Department and the Commonwealth on 23rd March at Chantilly’s Hotel.

Mr Sowany said his team will take 8 weeks to finalise the policy and submit to the government.

(Radio Vanuatu - 0100GMT / 24 March 2010 Trans from Bislama)

A Port Vila Municipal Councillor, Tony Wright, is demanding a public apology from the author of the letter to the editor in today’s Daily Post newspaper, which alleges he had been using his position to demand free drinks from kava bar owners.

The Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) councillor said the letter was defamatory and has tarnished his good reputation and credibility as an elected councillor.

Mr Wrights said he will not hesitate but file a defamatory case in court if the author of the letter failed to publicly apologise over his comments.

(Radio Vanuatu - 0100GMT / 24 March 2010 Trans from Bislama)