East Malo gets local civil registry services

The East Malo Area Council in Vanuatu’s north opened a new civil registry office this week.

East Malo residents will now be able to obtain birth and marriage certificates at the East Malo Area Council House, located in the Bine area.

During the office’s launch, Tommy Warele, the Sanma Provincial Planner, acknowledged the efforts of the civil registry office in Sanma in establishing the new East Malo branch.

He says East Malo is the fourth area council in the province of Sanma to get a local civil registry office, with offices now also established in South Santo Area Two, East Santo Area and the Big Bay Coast Area.

Mr Warele says the new office will address the issue of birth registrations on East Malo.

“Every child will now get their birth registration here at the area council. And, there will be no need to go to Luganville for a marriage certificate, you can just register [a marriage] here,” he said.

“There will now be no need to pay for road or boat transport fares to Luganville town to access these services.”

Mr Warele says the opening of local civil registry offices to allow people to access government services at their door steps is part of the Government’s decentralisation policy outlined in the National Sustainable Development Plan.

He says the plan is for more government services to be set up in area councils close to the people.

“Yumi 40 is for us to work together to achieve the goal and vision of the Government to improve the livelihood and the wellbeing of the people,” he said.

“We will also see police posts being set up at East Malo and the South Santo Area Two at Najingo Point.”

But he says progress on delivering more local services depends on community support.

“The implementation of the Government’s vision can only happen through commitment and by us working together,” he said.

“We have to set aside the idea of putting up Namele Leafs to stop developments from happening and stop the arguments and conflicts over such developments.”

He says the people must show the Government that their area is ready to receive local services to prove the services can be sustainable.

The former President of Sanma Provincial Government, Thomas Vora, was the first person to have his birth certificate registered and printed at the East Malo civil registry office.

The Area Administrator for East Malo, Malon Rasu, says in the future the office will also be making passports available.