The Utilities Regulatory Authority (URA) has firmly rejected claims made by Oxfam in Vanuatu regarding the existence of a so-called “Sun Tax” linked to a proposed amendment of the URA Act. In a press release issued this week, the Authority described a recent social media post by “Oxfam in Vanuatu” as “grossly misleading,” stating that the claims had no basis in fact.

According to the press release, the Facebook post falsely alleged that the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Vanuatu would introduce a “Sun Tax” and that the URA was coordinating consultation efforts with the Vanuatu Association of NGOs (VANGO) concerning this issue. The Authority made clear that it is unaware of any such constitutional amendment bill and has not coordinated or conducted any public consultation on a tax of this nature.

The release explained that a meeting between URA, Sista, and VANGO had been scheduled to provide clarity on the actual URA Act amendment bill, which had been incorrectly associated with the “Sun Tax” narrative. However, following the publication of the misleading post by Oxfam, the URA cancelled the meeting and requested that the social media post be taken down.

URA confirmed that the bill it has submitted to Parliament has no link to any form of Solar PV connection charge or “Sun Tax” as suggested. The draft amendment is available to the public through the Parliament of Vanuatu’s official website and has undergone consultation with relevant stakeholders from both the public and private sectors prior to its listing.

The press release strongly criticized the circulation of inaccurate information, highlighting that such actions lead to confusion and frustration among citizens and key stakeholders. It also noted that the Authority is now seeking legal advice on possible steps to take against Oxfam Vanuatu.

The URA concluded by urging the public and organizations to verify information related to regulated utility services directly with the Authority to prevent the spread of misinformation.