The Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs has called on people who have lost their jobs in urban centres such as Port Vila and Luganville, to return to their home islands and it wants all chiefs around Vanuatu to provide support so they can return.
The President of the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs, Chief Willie Gray Plasua, says, “While the Government is finding ways to protect the country from the impact of COVID-19, I call on all chiefs across Vanuatu to help the Government by supporting their own people.”
“The Council of Chiefs is concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on some families that have no jobs at the moment, especially those living in urban areas such as Luganville and Port Vila,” he said.
He says all chiefs should take responsibility to look after the people from their own islands and should find space to put them if the COVID-19 situation worsens and they need to return home.
Chief Plasua says if people who have lost their jobs in Port Vila return to their islands , they can live a better life more cheaply; and survive in their villages “without money unlike in urban areas”.
He says there is more “wealth and resources” in the islands for people to rely on.
“It is important that people prepare themselves to survive during this kind of situation,” Chief Plasua said.
Chief Plasua says the ancestors have been living on traditional wealth and the wealth is still there in the islands.
He encouraged people to make use of the land and develop it.
The Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs called on chiefs and the people to act before the unemployment situation worsens.
