Members of the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission have expressed concern over alleged political interference by Finance Minister Maki Simelum.
And they have also alleged there was an attempt at improper influence by the Commissioner of Vanuatu Financial Service Commission, George Andrews.
Concern was raised after Mr Simelum called the Citizenship Commission’s chairman Joseph Tariodo and commission member Charles Ah Po and asked them if the commission could reconvene another meeting to approve the certificate of the citizenship of Vanuatu to a Chinese national, Sun Yongwei.
Mr Tariodo said that Mr Simelum also asked him and Mr Ah Po if the commission could seek advice regarding the application of Sun Yongwei from the Attorney General’s office.
In a letter dated June 5 to AG Alatoi Ismael Kalsakau, the secretary general of the commission, John Enock Ware, said that the ‘Commission approved the application for Mrs Sun JinE, her spouse, Mr Li Zuping, child Sun Yongquan under 18, child Li Dick under 18.
‘But the Commission did not approve the child Mr Sun Yongwei because he is over 18 – he is 20 years old and he will be 21 by December 2014.’
Mr Ware said under the Citizenship Act, names of children requiring citizenship must be under 18 years of age.
He said that the act also gives power to the commission to grant and to refuse the granting of the citizenship to an applicant.
Mr Tariodo said that after the Commission granted the certificate to Mrs Sun JinE, her spouse and her two sons and refused to grant to Sun Yongwei, he was asked by Mr Simelum to go to the ministry. He then approached the member, Charles Ah Po to go with him.
Mr Tariodo said during the meeting there was also representative of CIIP task force and the representative of AG office.
He said that Commission has stressed the point that it can only hold two extra-ordinary and six ordinary meetings.
Mr Tariodo said that it was then Mr Andrews has said if it is possible to hold another meeting, VFSC, will look after it.
Members of the commission namely Blandine Bulekone, Chief Henry Manlaewia and Pastor Shem Temar said that they will never accept interference in the decision of the commission.
They make the comment during the granting of the citizens to the first 34 applicants of certificate under the new law of the citizenship of Vanuatu.
The Independent made attempts to get comment from Mr Simelum but was unsucessful.
A concerned Mr Andrews told The Independent that he can’t comment but he wanted to know who in the commission made allegation
vanuatu indigenous watch(VIW) 