Introduction
Elsie: Halo olgeta, I’m Elsie, welcome to the RoundTable Podcast. We’ve created this space for Ni-Vanuatu women to speak freely on issues affecting us today. Let’s navigate life in the islands together. Join me as I speak to a new guest every episode and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Ale yumi storian. This project is made possible with the support of the WeRise Coalition and PACMAS.
TRANSLATIONS: Hello everyone, I’m Elsie, welcome to the RoundTable Podcast. We’ve created this space for Ni-Vanuatu women to speak freely on issues affecting us today. Let’s navigate life in the islands together. Join me as I speak to a new guest every episode and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Let’s discuss. This project is made possible with the support of the WeRise Coalition and PACMAS.
Elsie: Sista is a big believer in information is power. One of our main goals is to ensure women and girls are equipped with the right information and so they can make well-informed decisions about issues affecting their lives. Benjamin Disreli said, “as a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information. On this episode we talk about why information matters, and who better to talk about this subject than the Right to Information Office itself? Our guest today is Harold Obed from the right to information unit. On this episode will be referring to Right to Information Unit as RTI. Harold is now the manager of the RTI unit and has been with this initiative through the Media Association of Vanuatu since the initial discussions about the draft law which was developed to become the RTI Act. He is very vocal about the work RTI and we are very much looking forward to learning more about it.
Elsie: Hi Harold, thank you tumas blo yu save joinem mi long episode ia.
Harold: Hi Elsie, thank blo kam part lo podcast blo Sista.
Elsie: To start our conversation, maybe yu save explainem smol wanem naon hemi RTI unit and why it was established.
Harold: Okay, thank you. Why RTI unit? Fastaem Right ti Information hemi tokabaot…Mi wantem explainem smol fastaem about wanem nao information ia yumi sta refer lo hem. Under lo right to information law i gat wan definition blo information okay. So, information lo ples ia can mean any material in any form. Okay so yumi sta tokbaot ol samting olsem ol document, ol manuscript, ol memo, emails, advices, press release, ol circulars, orders, even logbooks, ol contract, ol report, ol samples, ol photograph, ol film, even micro-film, sound recording, map, plan, or graph, drawing, eni samting olsem in a form of data or eni samting in form of weh oli kamout long electronic form ol information ia nao. So mi stap tokbaot ol information ia nao. Okay? From wanem information hemi important tumas. Information hemi wan samting weh yumi stressem fulap. Mi mekem plante awareness long ol aelan mi stressem importance blo information from weh mi wantem ol pipol oli save se informtaion hemi very helpful hemi benefit long olgeta. From hemi increasim save blong olgeta. Emi increasim save blong olgeta long ol activities especially long interms of RTI emi increasim olgeta long ol activity blong kavman, structure blong kavman emi encouragem olgeta blo participate long ol national desicion making mekem se olgeta i gat better understanding lo hao kavman emi function mo hao emi providem ol services blong i ko helpem olgeta. Sapos oli no understandem eni samting abaot structure ia, sapos oli no understand eni samting abaot budget bai oli remain silent long corner blong olgeta bai oli never tokaot bai oli stap nomo olsem ia nao. But that is why information hemi very important. Yu quote wan toktok blo Benjamin. Mi mi like quotem wan toktok tu blo Former Secretary General blo United Nation, Kofi Annan hem blo Ghana, okay. Emi talem toktok olsem se, “knowledge is power, Information is Liberating.”
From everi save weh yumi storem ia, hemia ia nao emi kivim pawa long yumi, hemia nao i mekem yumi strong sapos i nogat ol save ia bai yumi weak nomo bai yumi never strong. And taem bai yumi strong hemi mekem se ol information ia emi makes us, emi kivim liberation, emi kivim freedom. Freedom blo exercisem rights blo yumi, freedom blo yumi wantem toktok, freedom blo yumi wantem participate lo ol development issues, lo ol discussions, lo ol issues weh hemi kam antap.
From taem yu nogat ol samting ia ol save long ol samting ia yu no save gat freedom ia blo yu wantem tokbaot wan issue from yu no understand issue too. From samtaem taem yu wantem mekem wan comment tu bai emi out, aotsaed lelebet long topic. So emia nao that’s why Kofi emi talem se knowledge is power, information is liberating.
Elsie: Thank you tumas Harold weh yu save unpackem wanem nao emi information, importance around it, and i guess why it pushed the formation of the RTI unit. There was this interesting report weh mi mi gat janis blo readim. It’s the status of the right to information in Pacific Island countries report. In the report is states that because civil society organizations were very engaged with the processes leading up to the adoption of the RTI law in Vanuatu when it fianally came into effect in 2017, the RTI law had contributed and in a way created this sense openess in the country to ensure that our government bodies were more forthcoming with information since the law was put into place. And i think alot of people still don’t understand why this was such a big victory. I mean, i can hear it in the way you explaning the importance of information and how it is liberating. And so it’s a very, it’s a big success having established the RTI unit. And i jsut wanted to know how does access to this kind of information empower or impact an individual?
Harold: Okay Olsem emia ia nao mi talem. Emi save kam impactem individual ia sapos em emi gat save lo ol issues olsem, mifala sta traem blo encouragem ol pipol blo kam forward askem information, askem information eni information oli wantem about government operation, wanem services nao should ko benefitim olgeta, okay. Mifala encouragem olgeta blo oli kam forward blo askem question from mifala believe strong olsem ia nao se oli gat fulap benefit blong hem. Taem weh emi askem question bai hemi helpem save blong hemi ia nao. Mifala sta talem long olgeta se, yu luk spos yu start blo buildim wan library lo tingting blo yu bambae hemi benefitim yu big time. Mo mifala talem long olgeta olsem se yu mas be interested, blo gat interest lo information. Sapos yu wan weh yu nogat interest nating long information yu tingbaot nomo olsem se everidei yu sta lo vilij yu tingbaot karen blo yu nomo se tumoro mi planem, afta tumoro mi planem wanem. It’s like building a wall around you. Yu nogat interest, even parliament session taem emi on yu no interest blo wantem save se hamas budget blo yumi or wanem nao ol MP oli stap tokbaot, ol member blo parliament weh yu votem olgeta i ko insaed ia. Emi broadcast live ia, emi stream live tu lo facebook weh bai yumi save wajem. Olsem taem weh yu nogat interest wantaem it’s like building a wall around yu, yu isolatem yu ia. Lo taem yu brekem wall ia yu faenem olsem se yu connectem yu wetem wol aotsaed, yu connectem yu wetem ol pipol aotsaed, yu connectem yu wetem wanem bakeken jej mo community blong yu. Ol places olsem ia nao ol social, different associations, weh oli established yu connectem yu wetem olgeta afta yu buildim save blong yu ia and then bai yu benefit plante long hem olsem mi talem long yu ia. Sapos i olsem bai mi kim wan example, sapos yumi wantem setemap wan committee blo development blo wota resource lo area blo yumi afta oli kam askem yu se yu save kam member blo committee bai yu responsible lo hem. Obviously pos yu nogat information about wota bambae yu talem se no. Beh spos yu wan weh yu gat interest finis long ol samting ia beh yu gat sam information finis nao obviously bai yu talem yes mi mi wantem tekem part long hem. So it gives you that freedom blo want to participate. So, that’s benefit blo hem ia nao bai yu save helpem yu afta yu bai yu faenem se yu stap lo level ia finis yu progress yu ko lo next level, yu wantem ko antap long next level blo yu.
That’s how liberating it becomes. Emi kivim yu pawa ia nao blo progress. Wanem hemi stap ko ia from pawa ia ol information weh yu stap storem ia nao, information weh yu open up to. Even lo social media wetem aotsaed, beh those are information weh yu wantem storem.
Elsie: Thank yu tumas Harold. I think that was wan really gud explaination hao yu talem spos yu no gat that interest blo yu accessem ol information it’s like building a world around you. But as soon as you do go out and ask the questions to get the information, luk se hemi buildimap confidence blo yu wan tu, yu save kobak long community blo helpem community blo yu tu or even just your own wellbeing.
And i think from my understanding, the RTI unit is a very important tool for anti-corruption in Vanuatu because it provides a push for transparency. And even though we are the first country in the Pacific to establish our RTI unit, and pass the RTI law, like many things, there still areas to strengthen. So, i would love if you could tell us a little bit about the RTI’s challenges, especially when it comes to providing information to the public.
Harold: Okay, right to information emi meanim olsem se emi kivim yu law weh oli pasem ia, right to information act emi kivim yu raet ia blo askem information insaed long kavman mo kasem information ia. Same taem emi kivim duty tu long kavman, emi kivim duty long kavman blo kivimaot information i no jes bai request beh bai also lo voluntary means to be proactive publishing information. Ol documents blong olgeta, sapos oli no publishim long website maybe oli ko long social media blo talemaot wanem nao oli sta mekem. Mo tu emi blo helpem kavman tu blo oli storem gud ol information. Proper records management emi wan nara samting to do wetem RTI. Taem mifala iko insaed mifala i developem wetem National Archives, wetem National Library. Wetem help blong olgeta mifala developem first National Records and information policy blo ol Public Sector.
From everi public office naia for the first time oli gat wan policy ia. Emi simply blo properly managem records, information, information olsem weh mi talem fastaem ia finis. Properly managem olgeta either long hard copy olsem or lo electronic form. Emia blo mekem olsem se emi help blo easy access. Sapos wan man emi askem wan request, emi askem wan information and then emi easy long yu from yu save ko nomo quick time pickimap wanem hemi askem ia yu kam kivimbak. Before things, records yumi no care long hem tumas for example, maybe samtaem yu karem wan samting maybe straight after long wan meeting yu karem minute blo hem yu kam nomo beh wan i singaot bakeken se eh yu ko fastaem long nakamal yumi ko drink kava. Afta yu no save wea ples blo putum samting ia yu putum nomo long front desk ia wetem tingting se bai yu kambak next morning bai emi stap ia, okay not this time bai emi nomo olsem nao. So, yumi wantem proper records management system ia blo emi mekem se make sure se yu accountable lo decision blo yu, ol actions blo yu, or record ia i no stap ia mas ko long proper ples, emi lus yu yu accountable long hem nao. At the time emi lus wan record emi categorise olsem se emi wan, yu yu meanim nomo ating yu spoilem wan record. And that’s an offense under long RTI law tu ia. Okay so access blo information ia emia nao i kivim yu raet blo accessem ol facts ol data concernem any samting inside lo ol public office. Nao taem mi sta talem ol public office ia mi sta meanim ol Ministry blo kavman, ol department blong kavman, mi meanim tu ol constitution body, olsem for example, Parliament, President, ol constitution body wetem even ol statutory body olsem VBTC for example, TRBR, URI, ISURA, yes ol statutory body. Wetem emi include tu ol company ol private company blo kavman i setemap. Olsem company blo kavman, olsem Air Vanuatu, even National Bank, Reserve Bank, emia everiwan ia oli covered insaed lo law ia emi kavremap tu ol individual we yu signem wan contract blo performem wan samting weh kavman emi kivim money from law ia emi kavremap yu tu. Okay, emi even ko as far as emi kavremap tu ol NGO pos oli receivem money outside blo kam helpem olgeta long work blo olgeta. Then act ia emi kavremap olgeta as far as emi concern how yu spendem money ia mo yu gat raet blo yu askem information based lo wea ples nao money emi ko samting olsem ia nao.
Mi stap explainem lo wan Provincial Council meeting olsem se eni ples olsem for examlpe, spos yu ko lo wan ples wan bucket i fulap lo wota afta yu ko ples weh i graon afta yu capsidem nomo. Yu capsidem bai yu luk wota i ron koko i dry emi olsem ia nao. Money blong kavman emi olsem ia nao wea ples yu spendem koko ples weh yu finis long hem pipol oli gat raet blong save hao yu spendem money ia. To anyone weh emi yusum public money parliament emi pasem then it becomes public fund ia nao. So how yu yusum pipol i gat raet blo save hao nao yu yusum. Wanem services nao hemi should yusum blo benefitim ol pipol lo hem.
Elsie: Emia emi really interesting. Thank yu tumas Harold weh yu save sharem. I have a quick question. Sapos olsem okay, sapos mi wantem save wanem nao wan Ministry blo yumi, wanem nao budget weh oli been spendem last year. Hu nao bai mi ko lo hem? Is there are specific contact or a specific person lo RTI unit weh bai mi contactem or i gat wan procedure weh mi mas folem in order blo accessem information ia?
Harold: Thank yu lo question ia from weh fulap man oli wantem information samtaem oli sta ring direct long mifala. Beh no i no work blong mifala blo kivim stret information olsem weh ol man oli sta tingting long hem se no mifala nao mifala central ples weh yu askem wan information mifala i kivim no. Act ia law emi wok olsem. Sapos yu yu wantem wan information olsem yu askem ia how kavman emi spendem money last year bambai yu mas ring or yu ko luk olgeta lo department blong finance or yu even save sendem wan email i ko long olgeta. Lo Act ia website i gat wan form blo RTI requests emia blo helpem ol pipol weh oli no save ol samting ia blo mekem wan request. Mifala mekem i isi nomo long olgeta jes fulumap form ia then yu sentem iko stret nomo long email ko long department blo finance yu copy lo mifala lo rti.gov. Sorry rti@vanuatu.gov.vu. Okay emia yu copy ia bai kam lo mifala tu olsem mifala save follow up so mifala save se i gat wan act ia request blo department blo finance. That’s how yu mekem request blo yu.
Department blo finance emi gat 30 days altogether, within the 30 days blo emi respond lo yu wetem answer i kivim long yu. Beh lo fes 5 days hemi mas respond blong talem lo yu se yes i true mi kasem request blo yu bai mi deal wetem thank you. Ah olsem ia nao ale emi gat 30 days blo emi kivim information weh yu yu askem okay. Now, maybe department blo Finance bai talem se, ah mi nomo need blo kivim information ia lo yu bai emi save talem olsem, reason blong hem emi from olsem; Department blo finance emi publishim expenditure blo everi yia online. Taem ia Act ia Law emi kam ia olsem mifala mekem proactive publication ia fulap awareness blong hem so olgeta tu oli kam this time oli publishim expenditure blo kavman long every quarter. Every quarter taem yu ko online nomo yu save luk se kavman i spendem hamas money finis afta spos yu save total budget blong hem blo save hamas finis hemi spendem. Next quarter taem emi finis oli addemap bakeken nao. Kavman so far emi spendem this much money. So yes emi olsem nao so everisamting naia yu save karem emia either lo website or spos yu wantem wan written form yu ko lo Department blo finance yu askem.
Secret blo hem tu olsem yu mas talem se mi askem under long right to information law. Taem yu talem olsem se yu askem under lonf right to information law it makes it an obligation for them blo oli kivim information weh yu yu askem sapos i nogat bai oli treatim olsem wan normal request nomo. And normal request can be next taem yu kam ia eh sorry mania weh emi should kivim information emi no stap jaen ia nao and i save trackem iko. Pos yu askem yu talem se under lo right to information law, then it makes it an obligation under lo right to information blo oli mas kivim information, i gat ol process blo yu folem blo oli kivimaot information ia long yu.
Mi wantem storian lelebet tu lo hao pipol oli benefit difdifren information. Naia main source blo information lo yumi ol community ia i social media. Fes ples weh oli karem long hem, pos i gat wan ded samples, or wan accident samples bai yu luk lo social media. Samtaem i gat ol online news tu. The thing is this, social media emi olsem wan stori blong yumi long nakamal. Yumi storian long hem yumi karem ol different information weh i kam ia, yumi storian ale maybe wan man emi staon ia emi karem information emi ko storian long wife blong hem long aos afta wife tumoro oli ko weavim mat emi karem information ia nao emi ko serem tu ol information. Samtaem yumi stap serem ol information yumi no save se emi true or hemi no true, okay. So, samtaem yumi stap help blo sharing blo information olsem yumi talem misinformation and some can be disinformation. Okay? Now difference blo tufala misinformation taem weh yu karem ia yu tu yu no save se emi wan kiaman samting yu ko storian long aos afta lo aos tu oli karem ko storian long ol nara mama lo weh i stap spread nao. Beh emia ol storian ia oli no true tu from i kamout long social media ia. Ah storian blong nakamal ia okay, beh i gat sam storian weh oli true lo social media. From samtaem oli postem wantaem later or wan circular weh i kamout oli postem long social media or maybe emi gat wan accident yumi save se true i gat wan accident. Then yumi wantem save pos i gat man i laef or i dead. So those kind of information samfala oli true samfala oli misinformation, ol fake news, and there can be disinformation. Disinformation taem we yu yu save emi kiaman finis beh yu wantem ko kiaman nomo long man ia from yu wantem winim wan samting long hem. Yu gat wan interest long hem yu wantem ko kiaman long hem mekem ol samting lo interest blo yu that’s disinformation ia nao. Okay, so emia ia nao emi more nogud. Tufala tugeta i sin, tufala tugeta i kiaman beh nomo se wan yu no meanim mi no save emia beh olsem taem yu meanim blo mekem kiaman emia nao emi sin ah. Then the thing is from weh fulap long ol information ia yu no trustem tumas ol source blong hem. Samfala oli kam long fake account olsem ia they cannot be trusted.
Even lo sam online news samtaem yumi ko lukaotem news tu lo ol online news samtablo lukim ol news beh sam source weh yu yu no understanem nomo yu no save se olsem wanem beh oli raet abaot Vanuatu. Afta mi no save bai yu believim or no beh from yu no understanem source ia then you cannot trust that source too.
And then lo narasaed yumi gat ol main stream media. Main stream media yumi tokabaot olsem VBTC, i gat Radio Vanuatu, i gat Paradise FM, i gat Televison blong Vanuatu, i gat Daily Post, i gat Buzz Fm, i gat Capital 107 naia, i gat Daily Post News Paper, okay. Those are main stream media weh ol pipol blong hemi oli train blo raetem story mo oli foldem code of ethics blo media weh hemi meanim tu se wanem oli putum aot ia hemi mas be accurate hemi mas be truth ia nao, okay.
We all make mistakes, but mostly emi should be olsem ia nao. Okay, spose eni samting emi kamout wrong then bai oli quick taem nomo oli correctem. That’s why it is more reliable than any nara source of information. So, mi sta encouragem everiwan to build our knowledge on information. Mi sta encouragem olgeta weh nogat radio tu blo oli mas pem radio, pem wan gudfala quality radio olsem national lo Fung Kuei from se i gat sam frequency weh samtaem emi no strong. Beh spos yu gat wan gudfala reliable radio then still bai yu save listen lo ol radio yu still save listen lo information weh kam blo helpem yu.
Pos yu no stap, olsem mi talem brekem barrier ia just by getting the right resources. Mo jusum ol right source weh yu yu wantem listen long hem, mo yu yu wantem harem blo i helpem yu. From weh false information emi no save helpem yu beh taem wan distractive samting i save spoilem yu, yu save dividem community, even save lead iko lo ted blo wan person. Bai yumi no help blo spreadem information weh ino true beh bai yumi help blo karem information weh hemi true yumi pasem i ko blo helpem yumi, buildim yumi, kivim yumi pawa, liberate yumi blo yumi participate lo ol activity inside or even connectem yumi wetem ol right decision making process inside lo region lo community level, regional level, even lo national level. Thank yu tumas.
Elsie: Thank you for the tip Harold. I think for me too i no se hemi new beh hemi wan, i open up from really mi mi no even save se lo finance olgeta i stap olsem oli transparent finis blo publishim wanem nao money spend. And i think it’s a lot of, a lot of it comes from like ol posts lo Facebook and ol toktok blo man weh oli se beh money ia i ko wea, money ko wea hao nao kavman sta spendem, but it’s all there. Like yumi nomo yumi need blo go out there blo lukaotem information and everything is there. And i like that little trick that you said, if anything just refer to RTI Act. I understand that the unit has been in Vanuatu for over five years now, and we are still learning so much about the new body and it works. Mo mifala wantem lanem more around long wok weh yu yu stap mekem mo hao nao emi stap leftemap laef blo ol communities blong yumi long Vanautu. Can you share any recent initiatives or programs or maybe trainings weh RTI emi stap karemaot naia to improve access to information, especially for this vulnerable groups?
Harold: Okay yes mifala traem blong helpem olgeta mifala sta mekem fulap awareness, mifala kam blo luk save nao se emia nao lack of of understanding lo budget blo kavman, lack of understanding lo structure blo kavman, fulap oli no save reason from wanem oli stap vote, all those things. I mekem se mifala tu tingbaot se how can we help them? Lo 2019, mifala i developem wan poster, poster ia emi own by Finance mifala helpem olgeta blo developem poster ia. Ok, poster ia emi back to back poster mo emi karem everi department blo kavman mo emi showem yu how much budget nao kavman emi spendem i ko lo each ministry, afta i ko daon lo department mifala kolem citizens budget. Emi mo easy blo oli understandem rather than….Yu save se buk blo budget emi very thick ia. I think weh i thick wan man i no save, so mifala simplifyem bigfala thick book ia kam wan poster olsem. Back to back yu save lukim yu save hamas money i kam tru lo education, weh i save kam koko i save kam benefitim yu. Yes, unfortunately, mifala i startem olsem i should continue, COVID i kam nao mekem se emi disruptem process ia beh yes mifala mekem hemia nao feswan.
I kam long 2020 mifala lukim tu se taem mifala sta ko raon ia mifala askem ol man se yufala sta vote from wanem? Most taem bai oli talem se no mifala vote from se ol candidate oli kam talem se oli vote from policy olsem ia nao, policy olsem. Afta mifala talem se afta oli talem lo yu hamas nao cost blo policy ia money blo hem olsem wanem, how nao emi connect wetem NSDP (National Sustainable Developement Goals) blo yumi bigfala plan blo kavman pipol’s plan ia. Se no mifala ah oli no connectem eni samting olsem. Okay so meanim se yu yu no save real reason from wanem yu sta vote ah, Mifala traem talem long olgeta se MP ia yu sta vote long olgeta oli gat ol money blo oli kivim long yu tu blo managem. So mifala kam wanem mifala mekem, mifala ko toktok stori wetem olgeta long parliament. Luk i gat lack of understanding lo hao ol money yufala sta pasem ia i tru lo ol MP blo ko benefitim ol pipol daon ia. So lets develop wan more poster blong yufala so mifala developem poster ia. Poster ia pos yu lukluk emi karem i gat ol benefits, ol titlement ol member blo parliament during wan parliament session, ok. Afta mifala listim ol salary, from under lo parliament i gat ol positions weh wan MP emi save stap long hem lo wanem oli kolem Official Salaries Act. Emi listim ol positions weh wan MP emi save kasem, i staon long hem afta emi save karem salary. Okay, emi meanim olsem se taem wan MP emi nomo stap long wan position ia meanim se emi nomo gat nogat salary nao. From Salary faldaon under lo Official Salaries Act ia nao.
Okay, so mifala traem blo explainem long olgeta hao nao yumi save helpem ol pipol daon ia blo oli stap blo oli save understandem. Oli kivim mifala ol information, this is how it works. Mifala storian wetem olgeta Autony General blo oli kivim mifala stret advise how bai mifala ko about wetem. And then mifala developem poster ia. Olsem mi talem wan ples emi tokabaot benefits blo ol MP lo taem blo wan parliament session emi tekem ples afta i tokabaot salary blo olgeta mo wanem positions oli entitle long hem under lo offical salaries act, afta mifala storian tu lo wan narafala Act weh oli kolem Members of Parliament Expenses and Allowances Act. Hemia emi about money blong constituency. Beh ol MP oli yusum blo oli helpem ol pipol lo constituency, okay. So, poster ia emi olsem ia nao mo insaed mifala i talem tu ol benefits spos yu yu wan Minister, and then yu still entitiled for example travelling, airfare, wanem wanem bakeken everi information ia i stap insaed long poster ia. So emi very helpeful.
Poster ia taem se mifala ko kivim maot ol man oli interest long hem weh from naia oli save nao reason oli stap vote. Oli save se wan MP blong olgeta long wan yia hemi karem about 12.5 million olsem blo helpem olgeta long wan constituency. Wan MP, so i meanim se lo wan full term blo MP ia emia yumi stap tokbaot kolosap lo 50 million nao blo helpem ol pipol lo trifala allowances ia. So, taem mifala sta karem emia mifala sta ko aot oh man ol man oli interest long emia weh from oli never harem from MP no tokbaot full storian. Emi tokabaot nomo maybe 3 million MP allocation weh emi gro finis i ko antap lo naia 5 million lo wan yia weh wan wan MP oli karem blo helpem olgeta. Hemi wan nara poster weh mifala help blo developem.
Nara poster weh mifala wok long hem naia i stap sooner or later bai mifala i finisim. Hemi wan poster weh hemi complete finis i stap hemi blo ol councilor blo yumi blo ol province. From mifala ko raon oli talem se beh yufala mekem emia mifala wantem save tu mifala stap wetem ol counsellor mifala no save se oli sta yusum money olsem wanem so mifala developem wan nara poster weh hemi blo ol counsellor bai yumi luk hamas money ko lo ol counsellor blo yusum, hamas money ko lo area councils. Mo bai yumi luk hamas money ko lo area administrators blo oli yusum blo benefit blo ol pipol lo level blo community blo yumi. Mifala sta wait nomo lo DLA, Department blo Local Authority blo oli confirmem ol figure then bai mifala launchem nara poster weh mifala i stap karem i ko raon.
Elsie: Oh emia i tuff tumas mi tingbaot taem mi luk poster blong ol MP allocations ia, i think mi mi jes kam start blo wok nomo lo Sista afta Executive Director blo mifala nao i showem poster ia lo mi. I remember I was like, oh my gosh, from mi tu mi never luk wan kaen information olsem. And i was like going through like the budget and i was like, that’s a lot of money. But it was good. Like i was, i felt like, okay, at least mi gat wan information weh mi save helpem mi tu lo ol tingting blo mi. But, I’m really excited for the new poster that’s coming. I gat wan facebook page weh bai yufala i putum or are you guys doing like an official launch?
Harold: Blo Provincial councils, yes. Taem bai mifala redi bai mifala mekem wan offical launch blo hem. Beh blo emia MP entitlements mifala launchem finis ia mifala sta raon wetem ia, yes.
Elsie: Okay so emia blo provincial councils jes sta kamaot. Okay, so am really excited for that. Once it comes out mi sure se bai yumi serem lo ol social media platforms blo yumi tu blo again sharem that information. To wrap up this very interesting discussion, Harold, thank you tumas weh yu save joinem mi blo kivim more information lo saed blo RTI unit. Last question blo yumitu emi wan question weh mifala stap askem everi guest blo mifala weh oli kam joinem ol previous episodes blo yumi. In 3 wrods describe what your journey has been as a proud Ni-Vanuatu navigating life in Vanuatu.
Harold: Passion for RTI.
Elsie: Thank you Harold, i love your 3 words. Thank you again for joining me for that very informative conversation.
Harold: Thank you. Thank you to be part of your podcast.
Elsie: As always we love to leave you with good information to take away from each episode. Information is power olsem Harold emi talem clearly lo conversation blong mitufala. Don’t build a wall around yourself. Get out there, find the resources, find the books, find the websites, read the newspapers, gain knowledge through the information that is out there, because it won’t only help you as an individual, but it will also help the community that you are part of. Misinformation and disinformation Harold clearly explained the difference between the two and the negative impacts it has. Remember when you are presented with information, ask questions. Don’t believe everything that you see in social media. Don’t believe everything that you hear in the Nakamal or from your aunties or from whoever you need to. Always make sure that you keep an open mind to the information that you’re receiving. We’ve got lots of other resources and links, which you’ll find in our show notes. That brings us to end of another episode. We hope this conversation has opened your mind to the importance of accessing information. As always, thanks for listening to the roundtable.
Ending
Elsie: Make sure to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok as Sista Vanuatu and our website sista.com.vu. This is Elsie, from the RoundTable. If you want to hear from The RoundTable podcast, make sure to tune to the next episode.
