Wilson’s Word 10 December 2011

CONGRATS to all those involved in coming up with a workable plan for the traffic lunacy on cruise ship days. With so many parties involved reaching agreement was always going to be

difficult and WW can report that is almost went pear shaped few times, but dogged perseverance finally carried the day.

Now there needs to be similar determination to see that it works. Great news too about the substantial increase in cruise numbers for Vanuatu for 2012 which will now see an average of more than two ships a week grace our shores.

This is a major bonus for numerous businesses and needs to be protected and nurtured to the nth degree.

UGLY scenes in Port Vila earlier this week with the bus and taxi drivers’ strike. WW saw two men covered in blood and it was claimed they had been dragged from their buses and beaten for not joining the strike.

WW was given first-hand accounts by passengers forced to leave buses under threats of violence and then complete their journeys on foot.

All this was extremely unpleasant and a very tense and unusual air pervaded Port Vila for several hours on Tuesday. While WW in no way condones the violence or threats exhibited during this incident, he understands the anger and frustration of bus/taxi drivers, when they find, without any real warning, that their annual vehicle permit fee has spiralled in the past decade from VT 3000 to VT 5000 before more than doubling to VT 11,000 and now, without warning, they are being hit with another sizeable hike to Vt16,880.

It will be extremely hard to justify such a huge cost hike and one hopes their angry voices will be heard. And there are enough of them, with an  estimated 3000 owners of public vehicles on Efate now – which is undoubtedly too high. Their somewhat impromptu action sparked one interesting thought from one of WW’s colleagues – what happened to needing a permit for a public demonstration/march in Port Vila?

IN a calmer vein, WW is able to report that Vanuatu’s poultry icon Toa Enterprises or Toa Farm is out of the plucking and egg laying business, which marks the end of a mighty era for its former owner, American born veterinarian Bob Heston.

Hitherto it will be known as Chiko Farm Products, which to an Australian is a name synonymous with an iconic snack food call a Chiko Roll, which is a thick skinned chop suey roll closely linked to loads of beer and sporting events like Aussie Rules footy for the past 60 years.

WW understands Chiko Farm Products will lease the property from Mr Heston and it will  be run by a consortium with close links to a major Christian church. The builder heading the consortium has a top reputation for being a straight shooter, so top chook should still be on the menu.

STILL on food, a new butchery/farm shop, although it’s calling itself Sama Sama shopping centre,  is about to open next door to the War Horse Saloon on land owned by another top farmer Ian Shaw.

Said to be selling meats, fish, poultry and other farm products, it could be a boon for Mele, the residents of Devil’s Point Road and those in more northern communities who could be saved a run all the way into town for much of their food supplies. 

AND finally this week,   a little history lesson - the history of the middle finger. It’s a universal sign of contempt and even anger, but never before has WW seen its history. Now thanks to some astute friends I can share it with you.

Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers.

Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future.

This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").

Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew.

Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute. So there.