Ralph Regenvanu
Encyclopedia
Ralph John Regenvanu is a ni-Vanuatu anthropologist, artist
and politician
. He has been a Member of Parliament
since September 2008, a member of Cabinet
for most of the period since December 2010, and was the Director of the Vanuatu
National Cultural Council from 1995 until December 2010.
He has been a leading figure in Vanuatu's cultural world, primarily as a promoter of cultural knowledge preservation and sustainable development
as a researcher, but also, to a lesser extent, as a painter and illustrator. He has represented Vanuatu and its culture in the international sphere, notably through UNESCO
. His transition to politics came suddenly in 2008, at a comparatively young age; his successful campaign to be elected to Parliament generated popular and media support. As a Member of Parliament, he sought to publicise his activities and discuss political issues directly with members of the public; he also used his parliamentary allowance to help finance student scholarships and youth business projects. Three months after his election, he was arrested and charged with aiding prisoners who had escaped from gaol. The charges were later dropped. In late 2010, he launched his own political party, shortly before being appointed to Cabinet.
at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva
, Fiji
. Sethy Regenvanu, born on Malakula
, was later to become a prominent politician in post-independence Vanuatu: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Walter Lini
in the 1980s. Dorothy Regenvanu, born Dorothy Rutter in Australia, is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church. Sethy Regenvanu was in Suva to study at the Pacific Theological College when Ralph, his and Dorothy's first child, was born. Ralph was three years old when the family left Fiji to move to Australia
, then back to Vanuatu (which at the time was the Franco-British Condominium
of the New Hebrides
). Ralph eventually had four younger siblings, all brothers: Nikil Periv (b.1974), Malpati (1975), Regson Tairets (1982), and George Michael (1984).
, archeology and development studies
at the Australian National University
, obtaining a Honour's degree in development studies in 1991, before becoming curator
of the National Museum of Vanuatu
. Les Nouvelles calédoniennes describes him as "Vanuatu's first anthropologist".
In 1994, he was a founding member of the Pacific Islands Museums Association
, and was a member of its inaugural Executive Board from 1997 to 2009.
From 1995 to 2006, he was the director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre
, and was subsequently tasked with overseeing Vanuatu's ongoing "Year of the Traditional Economy" (2007 and 2008), in accordance with a government policy which aimed at preserving, maintaining and revitalizing elements of the or reviving traditional indigenous economics. In 1992, he helped formulate the Vanuatu Cultural Research Policy which became effective in 1993 and has been a prominent advocate for the protection of the country's biodiversity. He has advocated the use of customary law
-as opposed to a legal system derived from British
and French
models- in the juvenile justice sector. He has stated that, although the Constitution recognises both "traditional Melanesian values" and Christianity
as the bases of contemporary ni-Vanuatu society, the latter tends to overshadow the former. He has attempted to highlight the importance of indigenous customs and their present-day relevance. The Vanuatu Daily Post describes him as "a world authority on custom
".
In 1996, he spearheaded the setting up of Fest'Napuan, an annual musical festival, described by the Vanuatu Tourism Office as "the premier cultural event of the year", and by the Vanuatu Daily Post as "one of the major music festivals in the South Pacific". In 2010, the festival lasted five days and attracted an audience of over 30,000 people. In the past, it has attracted musicians from New Caledonia
, the Solomon Islands
, Fiji
, West Papua, Easter Island
, Papua New Guinea
, Australia
and New Zealand
, and in 2004 it was broadcast live by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
. In 2010, Regenvanu remained active in organising the festival, presiding over the Fest’ Napuan Association, and announcing that that year's theme would be "Women in Music", to promote female musicians from around the Pacific and to combat gender bias in the music industry.
In 1998, he began working in collaboration with UNESCO
as a delegate of Vanuatu and of the Pacific Islands
more generally. Since then, he has represented Vanuatu in a number of international conferences. As of 2003, he was Secretary of the Executive Council of the Pacific Islands Museums Association (PIMA). As of 2007, he was a member of the Advisory Committee of Experts for the UNESCO World Report on Cultural Diversity. He has also been a jury member assessing potential items for UNESCO’s Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
list.
In 2004, Regenvanu initiated the process to have sites associated with Roy Mata
inscribed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
, the first in Vanuatu, which was accomplished in 2008. He had also been involved in unearthing another site, which contains "the oldest graves in the Pacific region" and the "only Lapita
-era cemetery" found anywhere so far.
In 2005, the projects he was working on included a "project to strengthen the traditional economy
and the use of traditional wealth items in Vanuatu"; a "project to revitalise sand drawing
s"; the Fest’Napuan; and "strengthening the Pacific Islands Museums Association
", of which he was a board member.
In April 2005, when the Malvatumauri (National Council of Chiefs) imposed a ban on the custom of the bride price
, he organised a meeting of chiefs aimed at finding "a realistic balance between tradition and modernity" in the customs of contemporary Vanuatu.
In June 2006, as director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, he participated in a discussion on the ownership of cultural objects, organised by the Musée du Quai Branly
in Paris
.
On 10 November 2006, he was awarded the title of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters) by the government of France
, for his work in the field of culture, and more specifically for his years of work with the Vanuatu Cultural Centre. Seven days later, he was awarded the title Libehkamel Tah Tomat (Caretaker of the Sacred Nakamal (men’s house)) by Chief Matthias Batick of the Nende people of South West Bay, Malakula
. The Vanuatu Cultural Centre explains that the title "comes with his attainment of the first grade in one of the traditional grade-taking systems" of the region. Regenvanu retired as Director of the Cultural Centre in December 2006, and subsequently entered politics. In December 2010, upon being appointed as a State Minister, he resigned as Director of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council. However, he continues to combine his interests in the cultural field with his political career.
In June 2009 at a meeting of several Melanesian community groups in Madang
(Papua New Guinea) Ralph Reganvanu co-founded MILDA (the Melanesian Indigenous Land Defence Alliance). He presided over a second MILDA meeting at Mele Village (Efate
, Vanuatu) in June 2009. He remains active in the defence of customary land systems.
In January 2010, he attended the opening of a new building at the Museum of Anthropology
in Vancouver
, as the official representative of "every museum in the Pacific". His invitation was due to his having been "heavily involved in the preparation for the Pacific Islands exhibition".
Les Nouvelles calédoniennes, a New Caledonian
newspaper, emphasised his relative youth (he was 37), the fact that he was a new voice in politics, and his apparent public support.
He had previously received support from The Vanuatu Independent in 2008, upon first announcing his entrance into a political career. The newspaper, describing him as a "young visionary and idealist", had written of him: "It is a long time since we have had a charismatic leader emerge from the crowd. [...] Whatever he does, he will do it well."
He was elected
to Vanuatu's parliament
representing Port Vila
as an independent candidate on 2 September 2008. Les Nouvelles calédoniennes and Islands Business reported that he had received a record high number of votes. Transparency International Vanuatu
applauded his election and his first days in office:
Despite remaining an independent, Regenvanu described politicians Ephraim Kalsakau
and Moana Carcasses as people "I can work with and have respect for". Caracasses is leader of the Green Confederation
, and was -in the immediate aftermath of the election- whip
of the parliamentary Opposition to Prime Minister Edward Natapei
's government. The press initially described Regenvanu as being a member of the Opposition. Following a Cabinet
reshuffle in November 2009, however, he became part of a new parliamentary majority supporting Prime Minister Natapei, as member of "The Alliance" political bloc headed by Sato Kilman, who was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade in the November Cabinet reshuffle. The Alliance, supporting the government, consisted in MPs from a variety of small parties (including Carcasses' Green Confederation) and three independent MPs. Regenvanu, who did not seek a role in Cabinet, then described himself as a government backbencher; he was also described as "an independent MP in the government coalition" and a "government MP", though he was not a member of Cabinet.
In January 2009, he announced that he would use part of his allowance as Member of Parliament to set up and finance scholarships for students undertaking Foundation-level studies at the University of the South Pacific
in Port Vila. In March, twelve students were selected to receive financial assistance under his scholarship scheme. The initiative was praised by the head of the University's Vanuatu campus. The following year, nineteen more scholarships were awarded under the scheme he was continuing to fund, now with the assistance of an anonymous Australian donor. The year after that, in 2011, twelve more students received scholarships funded from his allowance.
Also in March 2009, Regenvanu began to finance a "Youth Solidarity Micro-Credit Scheme" out of his parliamentary allocation, providing loans to assist several young people in setting up "small business projects". This was in keeping with his campaign promise that he would attempt to encourage emerging local businesses. He subsequently continued to personally fund programmes from his parliamentary allowance. In 2010, he donated 200,000 vatu (one tenth of his annual allowance) to a campaign to clean up litter in Port Vila. The same year, he donated 50,000 vatu and a printer to the Port Vila Town Youth Council, to register and promote youth groups.
In February 2009, he participated in a symposium entitled "Building successful partnerships: Government, the Academy, Industry and Civil Society in the Changing Pacific", at Deakin University
in Australia
. He had been invited to participate "in recognition of his leading role in building partnerships between Government, research institutions and civil society in Vanuatu".
Also in February, he criticised what he described as an excessively short period of notice given to MPs before a parliamentary debate on a number of bills
:
On 4 May, Regenvanu relaunched a weekly radio programme, "Traem Tingting Smol", which he had initially started in early 2008, to discuss political topics affecting people's lives. The programme would discuss such issues with guests, as well as with listeners, encouraged to "ring in to ask questions or give their views". Among the initial topics for discussion were the prospect of Vanuatu joining the World Trade Organisation; a fishing plant; and a large loan to Vanuatu from the Chinese
government. "Traem Tingting Smol" is Bislama for "try and think a little".
On 22 May, Regenvanu was publicly criticised and ridiculed in Parliament by Internal Affairs Minister Patrick Crowby
and Minister for Lands Harry Iauko
, who read out an e-mail Regenvanu had been circulating, in which the young MP broadly accused his fellows of widespread corruption. He had also stated in the e-mail that Speaker of Parliament Maxime Carlot Korman
would be "buried" if he attempted to stand in the 2012 general election. Carlot Korman addressed Regenvanu in these terms: "I, along with your father
are veteran politicians. I want you to explain to me what you mean when you say you are going to bury me." Regenvanu was compelled by the Speaker to offer an apology.
In 2010, following a coronial report which accused police commissioner Joshua Bong of human rights abuses, and of attempting to "derail the coroner's inquest" into a prisoner's death in custody, Regenvanu publicly described Bong as "a thug who disregards the law", calling for his removal.
The same year, Regenvanu was named Vice-Chairman of the Independence Celebrations Task Force Committee, entrusted with preparations for the country's celebration of its anniversary of independence. He was also a member of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee investigating a misappropriation of public funds by public servants. The Committee's findings resulted in official charges being laid against three public servants.
In November, he protested publicly against a change in the way constituency funds were allocated to MPs. He argued that, under the new rules, there was no longer any meaningful accountability, as the funds were now to be paid directly into MPs' salaries. Regenvanu argued that this amounted to an unjustified 83% salary increase for MPs. He successfully moved that a nominal vote be taken on the issue, but was one of just seven MPs to vote against what the Daily Post also described as an increase in MPs' salaries.
At the close of 2010, the Fiji-based Islands Business
praised him as "an outspoken opponent of corruption"; "in the Public Accounts Committee, he is unflinching in his attempts to wrench the facts from those on the witness stand".
, where they would be cared for by "community leaders". He stated that they had been ill-treated while in prison, and that they feared being beaten by prison staff if they returned. The prisoners were re-arrested and taken back to prison. On 19 December, Regenvanu and fellow Member of Parliament Moana Carcasses were arrested, detained for 24 hours, and charged with aiding the prisoners in their escape. Among the charges were "harbouring and aiding of prisoners", "obstructing police on duty" and "accessory after the fact" to the breakout. They were released, provisionally, and appeared in court in February 2009. It was subsequently announced by the Supreme Court that they would face charges of "harbouring prisoners" and "obstructing police duty" on 20 March.
Appearing in front of the Supreme Court on that date, Regenvanu pleaded not guilty to "three counts of accessory after the fact, harboring or assisting a prisoner and obstructing police officers on duty". He was released on bail, and it was announced he would reappear in Court on 13 May.
On 7 May, he and Moana Carcasses attended the funeral of a prison inmate who had died "under the custody of the Vanuatu Mobile Force".
On 13 May, he again pleaded not guilty in court, to the same charges as previously. He was scheduled to return to court for pre-trial on 5 August.
In January, Prime Minister Edward Natapei
's government stated that it would consider seeking Regenvanu's and Carcasses' suspension from Parliament over the charges. They would, in any case, be likely to lose their seats if found guilty.
In September 2009, the Supreme Court dropped all charges against Regenvanu and Carcasses that had been filed in the wake of the prison break.
Despite these events, a Cabinet
reshuffle in December 2009 resulted in Carcasses joining Natapei's government as Minister of Internal Affairs and Labour, while Regenvanu became "an independent MP within the governing coalition", supporting Natapei.
In May 2010, six escaped prisoners asked to talk to Regenvanu, telling the police they were willing give themselves up if the request were granted. Regenvanu later told the press:
Regenvanu passed on the prisoners’ concerns to the relevant authorities and to the media, but did not obtain the surrender of all six.
, along with their respective parties.
The decision received a favourable comment from the monthly Fiji-based regional business magazine Islands Business, which praised it as "forward thinking", and added: "[I]f and when West Papua gets the independence and self rule it deserves, its people will have much to feel grateful to its Melanesian brethren across the Coral Sea
".
Regenvanu subsequently criticised Papua New Guinea
for having "consistently" opposed discussion of West Papua within the Melanesian Spearhead Group, "against the wishes of other Melanesian countries". Papua New Guinea borders the West Papuan province of Indonesia. He added: "We want to raise international attention to the issue of West Papua", saying also that he hoped it would not compromise Vanuatu's relations with Indonesia.
(in Bislama, Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP)) aimed to facilitate young people's participation in politics. Regenvanu argued that the executive of existing parties was controlled by veteran politicians, inhibiting the rise of new, younger politicians. Regenvanu stated that a core objective of the party would be "to try and put good leaders into parliament and into politics at all levels. And by that I mean leaders who are prepared to put the public interest first". In addition, the party would campaign on strengthening the guarantee of indigenous land ownership, and on promoting and facilitating indigenous participation in business.
Islands Business expressed its support for the new party. It reported Regenvanu as stating that chiefs, churches, women and youth were the four solid legs of the Land and Justice Party, and added that the party did indeed seem to be supported by youth - but also by "mums and dads, chiefs and pastors who have maintained the debate against corruption (and the falling standards in public life), whether in the home, the church or the nakamal
, or in print, for a very long time". It concluded that Regenvanu was widely "seen as a future leader" for Vanuatu.
in Parliament, and Sato Kilman
succeeded him as Prime Minister. Regenvanu was among those who crossed the floor to form the new parliamentary majority, and consequently obtained a post in Cabinet: Kilman appointed him Minister of Cooperatives & Ni-Vanuatu Business Development, issues which Regenvanu's party had stated as priorities.
In early February 2011, he was described as "instrumental", along with Minister for Trade Ham Lini
, in preparing a bill to introduce a Copyright Act in Vanuatu, with an aim to protect the intellectual property of artists.
Esmon Sae succeeded him as Minister for ni-Vanuatu business.
As Minister for Lands, he was able to initiate a reform of procedures for land leases, which he had been advocating. His ministry announced at the start of March 2011 that "new applications for registration of land leases of customary land w[ould now] require consent from an entire landowner clan, not just individuals". This would enable greater transparency, and would protect communal landowners from having their lands signed away by a small number of individuals. It would prevent leases "that breach planning [or] foreshore requirements", and prevent what Transparency International
and Oxfam
had called "corrupt land deals" under previous Lands Ministries, whereby (in Regenvanu's words) land was "sold for peanuts" or by "the wrong landowners". Three thousand land leases were put on hold for investigation - a decision which was reportedly "welcomed by members of the public but [...] prompted legal proceedings against the state by land owners".
The Opposition, led by Edward Natapei, reacted favourably to Regenvanu's appointment to the Ministry of Lands, saying that, unlike his predecessors, Regenvanu would "uphold the legal process in land dealings". The Times of Tonga
, reprinting an article from the Vanuatu Daily Post, noted: "The reshuffling of Port Vila’s outspoken anti-corruption Minister Ralph Regenvanu, from the Ministry of Ni-Vanuatu Business to the Ministry of Lands comes as a breath of relief and [has been] widely applauded by the grassroots."
On 10 March, however, Regenvanu was reshuffled to the Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs. Prime Minister Kilman had just sacked Justice Minister Yoan Simon, who had "reportedly backed the opposition’s plans for a motion of no confidence" in him, and needed to shore up his coalition government by bringing in a new party. Kilman offered a Cabinet position to the Republican Party
, who demanded the Lands Ministry. Consequently, Alfred Carlot replaced Regenvanu as Minister for Lands, while Regenvanu was appointed to the vacant position of Minister for Justice. Ben Bohane, of the Pacific Institute of Public Policy, remarked that Regenvanu seemed to have been "sacrificed to allow the [Republican Party] to come in as a coalition partner for the government. The government's numbers are very shaky. Parliament is set to resume some time at the end of this month and again there is ongoing talk of a vote of no confidence." Radio New Zealand International
, describing Regenvanu as a reformer during his three weeks as Minister for Lands, noted: "Reliable sources from the office of the opposition say Mr Kilman had no choice but to make the reshuffle to stay in power." Radio Australia
noted that he had been "transferred due to political pressure", as the government tried to maintain a viable parliamentary majority. It added that Regenvanu was "not happy about leaving before finishing significant changes to the laws on land ownership". Carlot said he would continue Regenvanu's reforms aimed at rooting out and prevent corrupt practices.
On 20 March, the Vanuatu Daily Post issued an article saying it had "seen a number of documents relating to land transactions started by former Minister of Lands Harry Iauko
and involving the present MP for Efate Rural, Joshua Kalsakau
". These documents "appear[ed] to explain prima facie why the Labour Party
signed or was alleged to have signed the most recent motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Sato Kilman, and why the Labour Party Minister and MPs were subsequently removed from the coalition and the Vanuatu Republican Party brought in, which resulted in the reshuffle of the Ralph Regenvanu from the Lands portfolio". Kalsakau, the article said, had applied for a land lease which Iauko, as Minister for Lands, had approved "without the normal administrative processes". The transaction was, along with all other pending leases, frozen by Regenvanu when he took office as Minister for Lands, for investigation. The Daily Post stated:
He added that he would also assist Alfred Carlot in pursuing the reforms he had initiated as Minister for Lands.
Less than two weeks after taking office, he issued a call, "together with a group of chiefs and fellow politicians", for the "descendants of 'blackbirding
' victims living in Australia
" to receive Vanuatu citizenship. Later, in October, he reiterated the call, while in Queensland to chair a meeting bringing together a Vanuatu delegation and descendents of "blackbirded" Melanesian workers in the second half of the 19th century, with an aim for the latter to form a nationally representative body for the community. Regenvanu added he would like Australia to grant seasonal work visas to citizens from Vanuatu.
On 24 April (Easter Sunday), Sato Kilman's government was ousted by a motion of no confidence
in Parliament, by twenty-six votes to twenty-five. Serge Vohor
became Prime Minister in his place, and appointed a new Cabinet
which included neither Regenvanu nor any other of Kilman's ministers. Yoan Simon, Regenvanu's predecessor, succeeded to the Justice ministry, while Dominique Morin (of the Republican Party
) obtained the Ministry of Lands.
On 13 May, the Court of Appeal voided Vohor's election (and therefore his premiership), deeming it unconstitutional as he had been elected only by a majority of Members of Parliament (26 out of 52), not by an absolute majority. The premiership reverted to Sato Kilman, and the latter's ministers resumed their posts - although Kilman did not appear to have a parliamentary majority. Regenvanu stated that since Vohor and his cabinet were "illegal, null and void and were never the government of the country", the Kilman government had de jure been legitimate during the brief interlude of Vohor's de facto government. On 16 June, however, Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek, in the Supreme Court, ruled that Kilman's premiership was itself null and void, Kilman's election in December not having respected constitutional requirements for a parliamentary secret ballot. Regenvanu lost office on that date. He regained it on 26 June when Kilman was restored as Prime Minister by Parliament, and reinstated his Cabinet.
In September, Regenvanu announced that the Customary Land Tribunal would, for the time being, no longer be hearing any new cases, pending reforms. Recommendations from the Malvatumauri (National Council of Chiefs) would be examined with a view to ensuring that "power in lands matters goes back to the customary authorities and village courts", in accordance with the Constitution, which states that land ownership and usage is to be determined by custom. Thus he was able to pursue his policies on land, despite having been reshuffled to the Justice ministry. This was made possible by the enacting, the previous month, of the Customary Land Tribunal (Amendment) Act, a bill introduced to Parliament by Lands Minister Steven Kalsakau, which transferred jurisdiction for the Land Tribunal from the Lands Ministry to the Justice Ministry.
and illustrator
and, in 1996, published an article entitled “Transforming representations: Contemporary art of Vanuatu” in the book “Arts of Vanuatu”, which provided the first historical survey of the development of contemporary art in Vanuatu. In 2004, he provided the illustrations for a book on ni-Vanuatu legends produced by the Vanuatu Cultural Centre.
In May 2006, he was an artist in residence at the British Museum, and produced a painting which was subsequently exhibited as part of the traveling exhibition “Treasures of the British Museum”. His work has also been featured in The Contemporary Pacific
.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He has been a Member of Parliament
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
since September 2008, a member of Cabinet
Council of Ministers of Vanuatu
The Cabinet of Vanuatu is the cabinet of the government of the Republic of Vanuatu....
for most of the period since December 2010, and was the Director of the Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
National Cultural Council from 1995 until December 2010.
He has been a leading figure in Vanuatu's cultural world, primarily as a promoter of cultural knowledge preservation and sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
as a researcher, but also, to a lesser extent, as a painter and illustrator. He has represented Vanuatu and its culture in the international sphere, notably through UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. His transition to politics came suddenly in 2008, at a comparatively young age; his successful campaign to be elected to Parliament generated popular and media support. As a Member of Parliament, he sought to publicise his activities and discuss political issues directly with members of the public; he also used his parliamentary allowance to help finance student scholarships and youth business projects. Three months after his election, he was arrested and charged with aiding prisoners who had escaped from gaol. The charges were later dropped. In late 2010, he launched his own political party, shortly before being appointed to Cabinet.
Early life
Ralph was born on 20 September 1970 to Dorothy and Sethy RegenvanuSethy Regenvanu
Pastor Sethy John Regenvanu is a politician in Vanuatu. He is one of several churchmen who have been active in Vanuatu politics, like Father Walter Lini, Rev...
at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. Sethy Regenvanu, born on Malakula
Malakula
Malakula Island , also spelled Malekula, is the second-largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, in the Pacific Ocean region of Melanesia...
, was later to become a prominent politician in post-independence Vanuatu: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Walter Lini
Walter Lini
Father Walter Hadye Lini was an Anglican priest and the founding Prime Minister of Vanuatu. He was born on Pentecost Island. During the era when Vanuatu was a condominium ruled by the United Kingdom and France, Lini formed the Vanua'aku Pati, which was principally backed by English-speakers...
in the 1980s. Dorothy Regenvanu, born Dorothy Rutter in Australia, is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church. Sethy Regenvanu was in Suva to study at the Pacific Theological College when Ralph, his and Dorothy's first child, was born. Ralph was three years old when the family left Fiji to move to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, then back to Vanuatu (which at the time was the Franco-British Condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
of the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
). Ralph eventually had four younger siblings, all brothers: Nikil Periv (b.1974), Malpati (1975), Regson Tairets (1982), and George Michael (1984).
Work in the field of culture
Regenvanu studied anthropologyAnthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, archeology and development studies
Development studies
Development studies is a multidisciplinary branch of social science which addresses issues of concern to developing countries. It has historically placed a particular focus on issues related to social and economic development, and its relevance may therefore extend to communities and regions...
at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
, obtaining a Honour's degree in development studies in 1991, before becoming curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the National Museum of Vanuatu
National Museum of Vanuatu
The National Museum of Vanuatu is located in the Vanuatu Cultural Centre in Port Vila, Vanuatu. It specializes in exhibits relating to the culture and history of this group of islands in the South Pacific....
. Les Nouvelles calédoniennes describes him as "Vanuatu's first anthropologist".
In 1994, he was a founding member of the Pacific Islands Museums Association
Pacific Islands Museums Association
The Pacific Islands Museums Association is, as its name suggests, an association of museums located in the region of the Pacific islands...
, and was a member of its inaugural Executive Board from 1997 to 2009.
Vanuatu Cultural Centre
The Vanuatu Cultural Centre , founded in 1959, is the national cultural centre of Vanuatu. It is located in Port Vila...
, and was subsequently tasked with overseeing Vanuatu's ongoing "Year of the Traditional Economy" (2007 and 2008), in accordance with a government policy which aimed at preserving, maintaining and revitalizing elements of the or reviving traditional indigenous economics. In 1992, he helped formulate the Vanuatu Cultural Research Policy which became effective in 1993 and has been a prominent advocate for the protection of the country's biodiversity. He has advocated the use of customary law
Custom (law)
Custom in law is the established pattern of behavior that can be objectively verified within a particular social setting. A claim can be carried out in defense of "what has always been done and accepted by law." Customary law exists where:...
-as opposed to a legal system derived from British
Law of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has three legal systems. English law, which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law, which applies in Northern Ireland, are based on common-law principles. Scots law, which applies in Scotland, is a pluralistic system based on civil-law principles, with common law...
and French
Law of France
In academic terms, French law can be divided into two main categories: private or judicial law and public law .Judicial law includes, in particular:*civil law ; and*criminal law ....
models- in the juvenile justice sector. He has stated that, although the Constitution recognises both "traditional Melanesian values" and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
as the bases of contemporary ni-Vanuatu society, the latter tends to overshadow the former. He has attempted to highlight the importance of indigenous customs and their present-day relevance. The Vanuatu Daily Post describes him as "a world authority on custom
Kastom
Kastom is a pijin word used to refer to traditional culture, including religion, economics, art and magic in Melanesia.The term is the generally accepted anthropology term to describe such phenomenon as well as the common and lay term used in everyday language.The word derives from the Australian...
".
In 1996, he spearheaded the setting up of Fest'Napuan, an annual musical festival, described by the Vanuatu Tourism Office as "the premier cultural event of the year", and by the Vanuatu Daily Post as "one of the major music festivals in the South Pacific". In 2010, the festival lasted five days and attracted an audience of over 30,000 people. In the past, it has attracted musicians from New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, West Papua, Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and in 2004 it was broadcast live by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. In 2010, Regenvanu remained active in organising the festival, presiding over the Fest’ Napuan Association, and announcing that that year's theme would be "Women in Music", to promote female musicians from around the Pacific and to combat gender bias in the music industry.
In 1998, he began working in collaboration with UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a delegate of Vanuatu and of the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
more generally. Since then, he has represented Vanuatu in a number of international conferences. As of 2003, he was Secretary of the Executive Council of the Pacific Islands Museums Association (PIMA). As of 2007, he was a member of the Advisory Committee of Experts for the UNESCO World Report on Cultural Diversity. He has also been a jury member assessing potential items for UNESCO’s Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
The Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness on intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and the local people who sustain these forms of cultural...
list.
In 2004, Regenvanu initiated the process to have sites associated with Roy Mata
Roy Mata
Roy Mata was a powerful 13th century Melanesian chief from what is now Vanuatu. His elaborate grave, containing the bodies of over 25 members of his retinue, was discovered by French archaeologist Jose Garranger in 1967 and inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008. Garranger was able to locate...
inscribed as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, the first in Vanuatu, which was accomplished in 2008. He had also been involved in unearthing another site, which contains "the oldest graves in the Pacific region" and the "only Lapita
Lapita
Lapita is a term applied to an ancient Pacific Ocean archaeological culture which is believed by many archaeologists to be the common ancestor of several cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some coastal areas of Melanesia...
-era cemetery" found anywhere so far.
In 2005, the projects he was working on included a "project to strengthen the traditional economy
Traditional economy
Traditional economy is a catching-all term normally used to describe economic systems that pertain in societies with extensive subsistence agriculture. The term may also be used for any economy that falls outside of popular notions of market and command economies...
and the use of traditional wealth items in Vanuatu"; a "project to revitalise sand drawing
Sand drawing
Sand drawing is a ni-Vanuatu artistic and ritual tradition and practice, recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity."Sand drawing" is produced in sand, volcanic ash or clay...
s"; the Fest’Napuan; and "strengthening the Pacific Islands Museums Association
Pacific Islands Museums Association
The Pacific Islands Museums Association is, as its name suggests, an association of museums located in the region of the Pacific islands...
", of which he was a board member.
In April 2005, when the Malvatumauri (National Council of Chiefs) imposed a ban on the custom of the bride price
Bride price
Bride price, also known as bride wealth, is an amount of money or property or wealth paid by the groom or his family to the parents of a woman upon the marriage of their daughter to the groom...
, he organised a meeting of chiefs aimed at finding "a realistic balance between tradition and modernity" in the customs of contemporary Vanuatu.
In June 2006, as director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, he participated in a discussion on the ownership of cultural objects, organised by the Musée du Quai Branly
Musée du quai Branly
thumb|225px|Musée du quai BranlyThe Musée du quai Branly , known in English as the Quai Branly Museum, nicknamed MQB, is a museum in Paris, France that features indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. The museum is located at 37, quai Branly -...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
On 10 November 2006, he was awarded the title of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters) by the government of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, for his work in the field of culture, and more specifically for his years of work with the Vanuatu Cultural Centre. Seven days later, he was awarded the title Libehkamel Tah Tomat (Caretaker of the Sacred Nakamal (men’s house)) by Chief Matthias Batick of the Nende people of South West Bay, Malakula
Malakula
Malakula Island , also spelled Malekula, is the second-largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, in the Pacific Ocean region of Melanesia...
. The Vanuatu Cultural Centre explains that the title "comes with his attainment of the first grade in one of the traditional grade-taking systems" of the region. Regenvanu retired as Director of the Cultural Centre in December 2006, and subsequently entered politics. In December 2010, upon being appointed as a State Minister, he resigned as Director of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council. However, he continues to combine his interests in the cultural field with his political career.
In June 2009 at a meeting of several Melanesian community groups in Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
(Papua New Guinea) Ralph Reganvanu co-founded MILDA (the Melanesian Indigenous Land Defence Alliance). He presided over a second MILDA meeting at Mele Village (Efate
Éfaté
Efate is an island in the Agean Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in The Republic of Maliki. It is also known as Île Vate. It is the most populous island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national...
, Vanuatu) in June 2009. He remains active in the defence of customary land systems.
In January 2010, he attended the opening of a new building at the Museum of Anthropology
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is renowned for its displays of world arts and cultures, in particular works by First Nations peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast First Nations...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, as the official representative of "every museum in the Pacific". His invitation was due to his having been "heavily involved in the preparation for the Pacific Islands exhibition".
Entry in politics
Pacific Magazine stated in April 2008 that "Regenvanu is seen as one of Vanuatu's future political leaders", while the Vanuatu Daily Post described him in April 2009 as an "upcoming leader". When he announced his intention to stand for election to Parliament, the Daily Post expressed the following opinion, which garnered favourable comments from readers' feedback:- "It will not be easy but if Regenvanu can get young people behind him and voting in numbers as well as women and people who are fed up with seeing the same politicians come into power and achieving little, then he could pave the way for a new trend of highly educated Ni Vanuatu politicians to enter politics and see change that everyone wants."
Les Nouvelles calédoniennes, a New Caledonian
New Caledonian
New Caledonian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France, located in the region of Melanesia in the southwest Pacific...
newspaper, emphasised his relative youth (he was 37), the fact that he was a new voice in politics, and his apparent public support.
He had previously received support from The Vanuatu Independent in 2008, upon first announcing his entrance into a political career. The newspaper, describing him as a "young visionary and idealist", had written of him: "It is a long time since we have had a charismatic leader emerge from the crowd. [...] Whatever he does, he will do it well."
First term as Member of Parliament
Vanuatuan general election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Vanuatu on September 2, 2008. In July, the Melanesian Progressive Party requested that they be postponed, contesting the constitutionality of the Peoples Representation Act No. 33 of 2007, which allegedly enabled voters in certain constituencies to vote in two...
to Vanuatu's parliament
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
representing Port Vila
Port Vila
Port Vila is the capital and largest city of Vanuatu. Situated on the south coast of the island of Efate, in Shefa Province, the city population at last was 29,356, an increase of 55% on the previous census result . This suggests a 2007 population of about 40,000 or around 65% of the province's...
as an independent candidate on 2 September 2008. Les Nouvelles calédoniennes and Islands Business reported that he had received a record high number of votes. Transparency International Vanuatu
Transparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
applauded his election and his first days in office:
- "Port Vila MP Ralph Regenvanu was elected by the “Protest VoteProtest voteA protest vote is a vote cast in an election to demonstrate the caster's unhappiness with the choice of candidates or refusal of the current political system...
” – essentially by those people who were sick and tired of the traditional politics, and it is encouraging to see him exercising his mandate. This is democracy at work [...]. It is an encouraging sign that a member of the Opposition in Parliament is doing what is normally expected in properly functioning democracy - namely to highlight discrepancies between Government statements and Government actions."
Despite remaining an independent, Regenvanu described politicians Ephraim Kalsakau
Ephraim Kalsakau
Ephraim Kalsakau is a ni-Vanuatu trade unionist and politician.In 1987, he spearheaded the founding of the Vanuatu Labour Party , to be the political arm of united trade unions...
and Moana Carcasses as people "I can work with and have respect for". Caracasses is leader of the Green Confederation
Green Confederation
The Greens/Verts is a green political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 2 September 2008, the party won 2 out of 52 seats. Its most prominent member is Moana Carcasses Kalosil, the deputy leader of the opposition and a former cabinet minister.-See also:*Green party*List of...
, and was -in the immediate aftermath of the election- whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
of the parliamentary Opposition to Prime Minister Edward Natapei
Edward Natapei
Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki is a politician from Vanuatu. He was elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu on two separate terms, and was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefly in 1991, the acting President of Vanuatu from 2 March 1999 to 24 March 1999 , and Deputy Prime Minister...
's government. The press initially described Regenvanu as being a member of the Opposition. Following a Cabinet
Council of Ministers of Vanuatu
The Cabinet of Vanuatu is the cabinet of the government of the Republic of Vanuatu....
reshuffle in November 2009, however, he became part of a new parliamentary majority supporting Prime Minister Natapei, as member of "The Alliance" political bloc headed by Sato Kilman, who was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade in the November Cabinet reshuffle. The Alliance, supporting the government, consisted in MPs from a variety of small parties (including Carcasses' Green Confederation) and three independent MPs. Regenvanu, who did not seek a role in Cabinet, then described himself as a government backbencher; he was also described as "an independent MP in the government coalition" and a "government MP", though he was not a member of Cabinet.
In January 2009, he announced that he would use part of his allowance as Member of Parliament to set up and finance scholarships for students undertaking Foundation-level studies at the University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
in Port Vila. In March, twelve students were selected to receive financial assistance under his scholarship scheme. The initiative was praised by the head of the University's Vanuatu campus. The following year, nineteen more scholarships were awarded under the scheme he was continuing to fund, now with the assistance of an anonymous Australian donor. The year after that, in 2011, twelve more students received scholarships funded from his allowance.
Also in March 2009, Regenvanu began to finance a "Youth Solidarity Micro-Credit Scheme" out of his parliamentary allocation, providing loans to assist several young people in setting up "small business projects". This was in keeping with his campaign promise that he would attempt to encourage emerging local businesses. He subsequently continued to personally fund programmes from his parliamentary allowance. In 2010, he donated 200,000 vatu (one tenth of his annual allowance) to a campaign to clean up litter in Port Vila. The same year, he donated 50,000 vatu and a printer to the Port Vila Town Youth Council, to register and promote youth groups.
In February 2009, he participated in a symposium entitled "Building successful partnerships: Government, the Academy, Industry and Civil Society in the Changing Pacific", at Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He had been invited to participate "in recognition of his leading role in building partnerships between Government, research institutions and civil society in Vanuatu".
Also in February, he criticised what he described as an excessively short period of notice given to MPs before a parliamentary debate on a number of bills
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
:
- "How is it possible for MPs to consult with their constituencies about the bills if they have not yet received them less than a week before Parliament is due to sit to discuss them? If MPs cannot consult with their electorates about the bills, how can they properly represent their views about these bills which will become laws that will affect their day-to-day lives? Such late notice and late provision of the bills demonstrates that the Government is not at all committed to the “stampa” principle of democracy and good governance, which is the representation of the people by leaders they elect to represent them. It reflects the Government’s attitude that because it has a majority in Parliament - which means its bills will automatically be passed - there is no need for the grassroots to know about these laws that it intends to pass, which will nevertheless affect their lives. This is an arrogant and undemocratic attitude which, unfortunately, has come to characterize our system of parliamentary democracy and particularly the approach of the major parties which have been in Government over the last 20 years. [...] I have been telling communities in Port Vila that I will consult with them about the 2009 Government budget, to get their views to present in Parliament, and I am very disappointed and angry that the Government, by their late notice, has meant that this will be very difficult, if not impossible."
On 4 May, Regenvanu relaunched a weekly radio programme, "Traem Tingting Smol", which he had initially started in early 2008, to discuss political topics affecting people's lives. The programme would discuss such issues with guests, as well as with listeners, encouraged to "ring in to ask questions or give their views". Among the initial topics for discussion were the prospect of Vanuatu joining the World Trade Organisation; a fishing plant; and a large loan to Vanuatu from the Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
government. "Traem Tingting Smol" is Bislama for "try and think a little".
On 22 May, Regenvanu was publicly criticised and ridiculed in Parliament by Internal Affairs Minister Patrick Crowby
Patrick Crowby
Patrick Joseph Manarewo Kalpuaso Crowby, born 6 July 1958 in Port Vila, is a ni-Vanuatu politician.He began his career as a primary school teacher in 1978....
and Minister for Lands Harry Iauko
Harry Iauko
Harry Iauko is a ni-Vanuatu politician.In 2005, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Vanua'aku Pati. He had been described as "the architect of the re-election of Natapei" to the party's leadership...
, who read out an e-mail Regenvanu had been circulating, in which the young MP broadly accused his fellows of widespread corruption. He had also stated in the e-mail that Speaker of Parliament Maxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman is a ni-Vanuatu politician, formerly serving as Speaker of the Parliament and formerly as acting President. He served as Prime minister of Vanuatu for nearly five years, first from 16 December 1991 to 21 December 1995 and again from 23 February 1996 to 30 September 1996...
would be "buried" if he attempted to stand in the 2012 general election. Carlot Korman addressed Regenvanu in these terms: "I, along with your father
Sethy Regenvanu
Pastor Sethy John Regenvanu is a politician in Vanuatu. He is one of several churchmen who have been active in Vanuatu politics, like Father Walter Lini, Rev...
are veteran politicians. I want you to explain to me what you mean when you say you are going to bury me." Regenvanu was compelled by the Speaker to offer an apology.
In 2010, following a coronial report which accused police commissioner Joshua Bong of human rights abuses, and of attempting to "derail the coroner's inquest" into a prisoner's death in custody, Regenvanu publicly described Bong as "a thug who disregards the law", calling for his removal.
The same year, Regenvanu was named Vice-Chairman of the Independence Celebrations Task Force Committee, entrusted with preparations for the country's celebration of its anniversary of independence. He was also a member of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee investigating a misappropriation of public funds by public servants. The Committee's findings resulted in official charges being laid against three public servants.
In November, he protested publicly against a change in the way constituency funds were allocated to MPs. He argued that, under the new rules, there was no longer any meaningful accountability, as the funds were now to be paid directly into MPs' salaries. Regenvanu argued that this amounted to an unjustified 83% salary increase for MPs. He successfully moved that a nominal vote be taken on the issue, but was one of just seven MPs to vote against what the Daily Post also described as an increase in MPs' salaries.
At the close of 2010, the Fiji-based Islands Business
Islands Business
Islands Business is a "multimedia publishing company" established in the 1970s in Suva, Fiji.With correspondents throughout Oceania, it describes itself as the "premier publishing group in the Pacific Islands region", with fourteen outlets in digital and video media as well as printed magazines...
praised him as "an outspoken opponent of corruption"; "in the Public Accounts Committee, he is unflinching in his attempts to wrench the facts from those on the witness stand".
Arrest in December 2008
In December 2008, thirty inmates of Vanuatu’s main prison in Port Vila escaped after starting a fire in the prison. Regenvanu announced that he had received word in advance of the jailbreak attempt, from the prisoners themselves. He stated that he had found twenty-six of the escaped prisoners and taken them to the National Council of Chiefs's nakamalNakamal
A nakamal is a traditional meeting place in Vanuatu. A nakamal is found in every significant rural Vanuatu community....
, where they would be cared for by "community leaders". He stated that they had been ill-treated while in prison, and that they feared being beaten by prison staff if they returned. The prisoners were re-arrested and taken back to prison. On 19 December, Regenvanu and fellow Member of Parliament Moana Carcasses were arrested, detained for 24 hours, and charged with aiding the prisoners in their escape. Among the charges were "harbouring and aiding of prisoners", "obstructing police on duty" and "accessory after the fact" to the breakout. They were released, provisionally, and appeared in court in February 2009. It was subsequently announced by the Supreme Court that they would face charges of "harbouring prisoners" and "obstructing police duty" on 20 March.
Appearing in front of the Supreme Court on that date, Regenvanu pleaded not guilty to "three counts of accessory after the fact, harboring or assisting a prisoner and obstructing police officers on duty". He was released on bail, and it was announced he would reappear in Court on 13 May.
On 7 May, he and Moana Carcasses attended the funeral of a prison inmate who had died "under the custody of the Vanuatu Mobile Force".
On 13 May, he again pleaded not guilty in court, to the same charges as previously. He was scheduled to return to court for pre-trial on 5 August.
In January, Prime Minister Edward Natapei
Edward Natapei
Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki is a politician from Vanuatu. He was elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu on two separate terms, and was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefly in 1991, the acting President of Vanuatu from 2 March 1999 to 24 March 1999 , and Deputy Prime Minister...
's government stated that it would consider seeking Regenvanu's and Carcasses' suspension from Parliament over the charges. They would, in any case, be likely to lose their seats if found guilty.
In September 2009, the Supreme Court dropped all charges against Regenvanu and Carcasses that had been filed in the wake of the prison break.
Despite these events, a Cabinet
Council of Ministers of Vanuatu
The Cabinet of Vanuatu is the cabinet of the government of the Republic of Vanuatu....
reshuffle in December 2009 resulted in Carcasses joining Natapei's government as Minister of Internal Affairs and Labour, while Regenvanu became "an independent MP within the governing coalition", supporting Natapei.
In May 2010, six escaped prisoners asked to talk to Regenvanu, telling the police they were willing give themselves up if the request were granted. Regenvanu later told the press:
- "Police came to my house on Sunday at 1pm when I was having my siesta and told me that the escapees had demanded to see me before they gave themselves up to the police voluntarily. I was reluctant because last time I helped the police I was arrested but I agreed if it meant they would give themselves up, so I went with two officers to Tanoliu.
- Six of the escapees were there and we talked for about three hours with me trying to persuade them to come back. They told me that they had sent a letter to the Minister of Justice Bakoa Kaltongga, complaining that they had been at ‘Container City’ since June in very confined areas, not allowed visitation rights and had no chance to see their chiefs for rehabilitation.
- They told me that they had been refused medical care and had other requests unanswered and that other high risk prisoners had been moved out of container city to other prisons but not them and they felt it was unfair. They said that they were not allowed to exercise and were demanding to be relocated to another prison and that was the reason behind their escape."
Regenvanu passed on the prisoners’ concerns to the relevant authorities and to the media, but did not obtain the surrender of all six.
Parliamentary motion on West Papua
In 2010, Regenvanu was instrumental in the tabling of a motion in Parliament stating that Vanuatu would request the support of the sixty fifth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations for the International Court of Justice to provide an advisory opinion on the legality of the agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands affecting the civil rights and lives of the people of West Papua. The motion was adopted unanimously by Parliament in June, having been moved by the Prime Minister Edward Natapei and seconded by the opposition leader Maxime Carlot KormanMaxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman is a ni-Vanuatu politician, formerly serving as Speaker of the Parliament and formerly as acting President. He served as Prime minister of Vanuatu for nearly five years, first from 16 December 1991 to 21 December 1995 and again from 23 February 1996 to 30 September 1996...
, along with their respective parties.
The decision received a favourable comment from the monthly Fiji-based regional business magazine Islands Business, which praised it as "forward thinking", and added: "[I]f and when West Papua gets the independence and self rule it deserves, its people will have much to feel grateful to its Melanesian brethren across the Coral Sea
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
".
Regenvanu subsequently criticised Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
for having "consistently" opposed discussion of West Papua within the Melanesian Spearhead Group, "against the wishes of other Melanesian countries". Papua New Guinea borders the West Papuan province of Indonesia. He added: "We want to raise international attention to the issue of West Papua", saying also that he hoped it would not compromise Vanuatu's relations with Indonesia.
Launch of own party
In November 2010, Regenvanu launched his own political party, in preparation for the 2012 general election. The Land and Justice PartyLand and Justice Party
The Land and Justice Party is a political party in Vanuatu. The party was launched on 11 November 2010 and is led by MP Ralph Regenvanu....
(in Bislama, Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP)) aimed to facilitate young people's participation in politics. Regenvanu argued that the executive of existing parties was controlled by veteran politicians, inhibiting the rise of new, younger politicians. Regenvanu stated that a core objective of the party would be "to try and put good leaders into parliament and into politics at all levels. And by that I mean leaders who are prepared to put the public interest first". In addition, the party would campaign on strengthening the guarantee of indigenous land ownership, and on promoting and facilitating indigenous participation in business.
Islands Business expressed its support for the new party. It reported Regenvanu as stating that chiefs, churches, women and youth were the four solid legs of the Land and Justice Party, and added that the party did indeed seem to be supported by youth - but also by "mums and dads, chiefs and pastors who have maintained the debate against corruption (and the falling standards in public life), whether in the home, the church or the nakamal
Nakamal
A nakamal is a traditional meeting place in Vanuatu. A nakamal is found in every significant rural Vanuatu community....
, or in print, for a very long time". It concluded that Regenvanu was widely "seen as a future leader" for Vanuatu.
Minister for Cooperatives and ni-Vanuatu Business Development
In December 2010, Edward Natapei's government was ousted by a motion of no confidenceMotion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in Parliament, and Sato Kilman
Sato Kilman
Sato Kilman is a Vanuatu politician. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from December 2010 to April 2011 and from May to June 2011, though his premiership was subsequently annulled by a court of law. He was elected Prime Minister again on 26 June 2011, thus beginning his first legally recognised term...
succeeded him as Prime Minister. Regenvanu was among those who crossed the floor to form the new parliamentary majority, and consequently obtained a post in Cabinet: Kilman appointed him Minister of Cooperatives & Ni-Vanuatu Business Development, issues which Regenvanu's party had stated as priorities.
In early February 2011, he was described as "instrumental", along with Minister for Trade Ham Lini
Ham Lini
Ham Lini Vanuaroroa is a politician from Vanuatu. He is an MP from Pentecost Island in PENAMA Province. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 11 December 2004 until 22 September 2008. Lini is the brother of Walter Lini, one of the founders of the modern Republic of Vanuatu...
, in preparing a bill to introduce a Copyright Act in Vanuatu, with an aim to protect the intellectual property of artists.
Minister for Lands
On 18 February, Prime Minister Kilman reshuffled his Cabinet following the defections of two ministers. Regenvanu was appointed Minister for Lands, while backbencherBackbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
Esmon Sae succeeded him as Minister for ni-Vanuatu business.
As Minister for Lands, he was able to initiate a reform of procedures for land leases, which he had been advocating. His ministry announced at the start of March 2011 that "new applications for registration of land leases of customary land w[ould now] require consent from an entire landowner clan, not just individuals". This would enable greater transparency, and would protect communal landowners from having their lands signed away by a small number of individuals. It would prevent leases "that breach planning [or] foreshore requirements", and prevent what Transparency International
Transparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
and Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
had called "corrupt land deals" under previous Lands Ministries, whereby (in Regenvanu's words) land was "sold for peanuts" or by "the wrong landowners". Three thousand land leases were put on hold for investigation - a decision which was reportedly "welcomed by members of the public but [...] prompted legal proceedings against the state by land owners".
The Opposition, led by Edward Natapei, reacted favourably to Regenvanu's appointment to the Ministry of Lands, saying that, unlike his predecessors, Regenvanu would "uphold the legal process in land dealings". The Times of Tonga
Times of Tonga
The Times of Tonga also known as Taimi o Tonga is published by the Taimi Media Network Ltd from Auckland, New Zealand. It started publication in April 1989. It is published twice a week. The newspaper's owner and publisher is Kalafi Moala, a Tongan-American citizen.The newspaper has been a...
, reprinting an article from the Vanuatu Daily Post, noted: "The reshuffling of Port Vila’s outspoken anti-corruption Minister Ralph Regenvanu, from the Ministry of Ni-Vanuatu Business to the Ministry of Lands comes as a breath of relief and [has been] widely applauded by the grassroots."
On 10 March, however, Regenvanu was reshuffled to the Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs. Prime Minister Kilman had just sacked Justice Minister Yoan Simon, who had "reportedly backed the opposition’s plans for a motion of no confidence" in him, and needed to shore up his coalition government by bringing in a new party. Kilman offered a Cabinet position to the Republican Party
Vanuatu Republican Party
The Vanuatu Republican Party is a political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 1 September 2008, the party won 7 out of 52 seats. Its leader is Maxime Carlot Korman, who was previously a member of the Union of Moderate Parties and had served as Prime Minister of Vanuatu while a...
, who demanded the Lands Ministry. Consequently, Alfred Carlot replaced Regenvanu as Minister for Lands, while Regenvanu was appointed to the vacant position of Minister for Justice. Ben Bohane, of the Pacific Institute of Public Policy, remarked that Regenvanu seemed to have been "sacrificed to allow the [Republican Party] to come in as a coalition partner for the government. The government's numbers are very shaky. Parliament is set to resume some time at the end of this month and again there is ongoing talk of a vote of no confidence." Radio New Zealand International
Radio New Zealand International
Radio New Zealand International , a division of Radio New Zealand, is the official international broadcasting station of New Zealand. It broadcasts a variety of news, current affairs and sports programmes in English and news in seven Pacific languages...
, describing Regenvanu as a reformer during his three weeks as Minister for Lands, noted: "Reliable sources from the office of the opposition say Mr Kilman had no choice but to make the reshuffle to stay in power." Radio Australia
Radio Australia
Radio Australia is the international broadcasting and online service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation , Australia's public broadcaster.- History :...
noted that he had been "transferred due to political pressure", as the government tried to maintain a viable parliamentary majority. It added that Regenvanu was "not happy about leaving before finishing significant changes to the laws on land ownership". Carlot said he would continue Regenvanu's reforms aimed at rooting out and prevent corrupt practices.
On 20 March, the Vanuatu Daily Post issued an article saying it had "seen a number of documents relating to land transactions started by former Minister of Lands Harry Iauko
Harry Iauko
Harry Iauko is a ni-Vanuatu politician.In 2005, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Vanua'aku Pati. He had been described as "the architect of the re-election of Natapei" to the party's leadership...
and involving the present MP for Efate Rural, Joshua Kalsakau
Joshua Kalsakau
Joshua Kalsakau is a Vanuatuan politician. In 2005 Kalsakau, then the Minister for Ni-Vanuatu Business and an MP from Efate representing the National Community Association Party, joined the Vanuatu Labour Party. Kalsakau became the president of the VLP....
". These documents "appear[ed] to explain prima facie why the Labour Party
Vanuatu Labour Party
The Vanuatu Labour Party is a political party in Vanuatu. The party was established on June 3, 1987. It was founded on the initiative of various trade union organizations in order to contest the 1987 parliamentary election...
signed or was alleged to have signed the most recent motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Sato Kilman, and why the Labour Party Minister and MPs were subsequently removed from the coalition and the Vanuatu Republican Party brought in, which resulted in the reshuffle of the Ralph Regenvanu from the Lands portfolio". Kalsakau, the article said, had applied for a land lease which Iauko, as Minister for Lands, had approved "without the normal administrative processes". The transaction was, along with all other pending leases, frozen by Regenvanu when he took office as Minister for Lands, for investigation. The Daily Post stated:
- "Minister Regenvanu was repeatedly approached by Ministers of State and by government MPs saying [...] he, Regenvanu, had to sign these leases or the government would face a confidence vote. [...] Minister Regenvanu has also confirmed he was rung repeatedly by MP Kalsakau demanding registration of his leases. [...] Regenvanu took [one of the lease issues] to the Council of Ministers on 10 March: “I don’t want the land to be registered because it is public land, it is a green space where adults and children go for relaxation. Generations of residents of Port Vila have enjoyed this beach. It is immoral for us to register the lease.” [...] By this time, [...] the Labour Party Minister and MPs had already signed the motion and negotiations to bring the Vanuatu Republican Party in to replace the Labour Party were being concluded. The Vanuatu Republican Party’s support for Prime Minister Kilman was conditional on them holding the Lands portfolio. That same afternoon, Labour Party Minister of Justice Ioane Simon was sacked, VRP MP Hon. Alfred Carlot sworn in as new Minister of Lands and Regenvanu transferred to Justice."
Minister for Justice and Social Affairs
Upon taking office as Minister for Justice, Regenvanu issued the following statement:- "As a new Justice Minister I have decided to reform the following systems that have never been properly addressed and left there too long and that has not helped to deliver the proper services to the people of Vanuatu. These include reforming: Customary Lands Tribunal system which is no different from the justice system and is inappropriate, the Custom Governance for the Chiefs to allow this to be properly functional at all levels of the communities in Vanuatu and still require major work to complete, raise a better standard for women, children and people with disabilities in Vanuatu, improve the way of dealing with people who commit crimes in Vanuatu through the Correctional Services and reform the national constitution and other laws of the country that need to be changed through law reform process."
He added that he would also assist Alfred Carlot in pursuing the reforms he had initiated as Minister for Lands.
Less than two weeks after taking office, he issued a call, "together with a group of chiefs and fellow politicians", for the "descendants of 'blackbirding
Blackbirding
Blackbirding is a term that refers to recruitment of people through trickery and kidnappings to work as labourers. From the 1860s blackbirding ships were engaged in seeking workers to mine the guano deposits on the Chincha Islands in Peru...
' victims living in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
" to receive Vanuatu citizenship. Later, in October, he reiterated the call, while in Queensland to chair a meeting bringing together a Vanuatu delegation and descendents of "blackbirded" Melanesian workers in the second half of the 19th century, with an aim for the latter to form a nationally representative body for the community. Regenvanu added he would like Australia to grant seasonal work visas to citizens from Vanuatu.
On 24 April (Easter Sunday), Sato Kilman's government was ousted by a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in Parliament, by twenty-six votes to twenty-five. Serge Vohor
Serge Vohor
Rialuth Serge Vohor is a politician from Vanuatu. He hails from the largest island of Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, from Port Olry.He is a member of the Union of Moderate Parties, a conservative, Francophone political party. When his party came to power in 1991, Vohor became foreign minister of Vanuatu...
became Prime Minister in his place, and appointed a new Cabinet
Council of Ministers of Vanuatu
The Cabinet of Vanuatu is the cabinet of the government of the Republic of Vanuatu....
which included neither Regenvanu nor any other of Kilman's ministers. Yoan Simon, Regenvanu's predecessor, succeeded to the Justice ministry, while Dominique Morin (of the Republican Party
Vanuatu Republican Party
The Vanuatu Republican Party is a political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 1 September 2008, the party won 7 out of 52 seats. Its leader is Maxime Carlot Korman, who was previously a member of the Union of Moderate Parties and had served as Prime Minister of Vanuatu while a...
) obtained the Ministry of Lands.
On 13 May, the Court of Appeal voided Vohor's election (and therefore his premiership), deeming it unconstitutional as he had been elected only by a majority of Members of Parliament (26 out of 52), not by an absolute majority. The premiership reverted to Sato Kilman, and the latter's ministers resumed their posts - although Kilman did not appear to have a parliamentary majority. Regenvanu stated that since Vohor and his cabinet were "illegal, null and void and were never the government of the country", the Kilman government had de jure been legitimate during the brief interlude of Vohor's de facto government. On 16 June, however, Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek, in the Supreme Court, ruled that Kilman's premiership was itself null and void, Kilman's election in December not having respected constitutional requirements for a parliamentary secret ballot. Regenvanu lost office on that date. He regained it on 26 June when Kilman was restored as Prime Minister by Parliament, and reinstated his Cabinet.
In September, Regenvanu announced that the Customary Land Tribunal would, for the time being, no longer be hearing any new cases, pending reforms. Recommendations from the Malvatumauri (National Council of Chiefs) would be examined with a view to ensuring that "power in lands matters goes back to the customary authorities and village courts", in accordance with the Constitution, which states that land ownership and usage is to be determined by custom. Thus he was able to pursue his policies on land, despite having been reshuffled to the Justice ministry. This was made possible by the enacting, the previous month, of the Customary Land Tribunal (Amendment) Act, a bill introduced to Parliament by Lands Minister Steven Kalsakau, which transferred jurisdiction for the Land Tribunal from the Lands Ministry to the Justice Ministry.
Artist
Regenvanu is also a painterPainting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and illustrator
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
and, in 1996, published an article entitled “Transforming representations: Contemporary art of Vanuatu” in the book “Arts of Vanuatu”, which provided the first historical survey of the development of contemporary art in Vanuatu. In 2004, he provided the illustrations for a book on ni-Vanuatu legends produced by the Vanuatu Cultural Centre.
In May 2006, he was an artist in residence at the British Museum, and produced a painting which was subsequently exhibited as part of the traveling exhibition “Treasures of the British Museum”. His work has also been featured in The Contemporary Pacific
The Contemporary Pacific
The Contemporary Pacific: A Journal of Island Affairs is an academic journal covering a wide range of disciplines with the aim of providing comprehensive coverage of contemporary developments in the entire Pacific Islands region, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia...
.
External links
- "Educational Initiatives of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre", Ralph Regenvanu, in Kabina Sanga, John Niroa, Kalmele Matai & Linda Crowl (eds.), Rethinking Vanuatu Education Together, University of the South Pacific, 2004, ISBN 9820203619
- Image of Regenvanu's painting The Melanesia Project, and artist's statement thereupon, Vanuatu Cultural Centre