The people of Torba Province, the northern most province of Vanuatu, have a common saying when asked about anything relating to government support. The response you get most often than not is; “oli fogetem mifala bageken”. What a shame!
The province consists of over 20 islands divided into two groups, the Torres Group which is almost part of Solomon islands, and the Banks Group which is just north of Santo up in Sanma province.
There has been whispers of autonomy, but the province is not united enough to react in that direction. There have been sarcastic remarks in the Vanuatu media by the people of Torba, hinting that the government should let go of the northern province and give it up to the Solomon Islands. The government, turning a blind eye to these pleas has kept silent and not done anything.
The government representatives from these two group of islands have been flaunting themselves before heads of political parties praying that they’d be given a government portfolio – in the remote hope of helping their province. However, in the general mess of Vanuatu’s politics, they are swept away by the ever present stench of corruption and eventually flop on their promises (of a better life) to their voters. (Although this is a personal observation, time will tell.)
On average, ships travel to the northern ports (excluding the Torres group) once every two months. For the Torres Islanders, if they are lucky, they’ll see a ship twice in a year. It is that remote! They can be out of essential household goods for up to six months. And to them, it is just a way of life. They have accepted that the government of Vanuatu has forgotten about them.
Fuel prices are high, telecommunications is below standards, copras are rotting in the copra dock, medical supplies are expired and building materials are rotting to smithereens on Santo wharlves waiting to be shipped to Torba Province.
The people can’t do much to help the situation. The only real help to hem are the churches who provide mostly spiritual and medical resources to the people. The Anglican Church, under the Torba Diocese have helped the people up to now. Other faiths are getting into the Anglican stronghold including the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And although these churches are seen to be helping the people, they cannot provide compulsory services like infrastructure, economy, shipping, etc.
If the people of Torba had the means, they would have indeed rallied for autonomy a long time ago. Maybe it’s about time the governmet of the day did some serious studies in providing adequate services to the province. Then again, it might take years… it’s up to the will of God.
Filed under: News
