the VMA. The job of the monitoring of shipping was handed over to the Department of Ports and Harbour.


This is where all the problems began. Too many owners are friends of the Department directors and operators. Corruption rules and Insurance has became a bad word and most of the vessels do not have insurance as it has become optional not mandatory.


If a Vessel decides


to take insurance for passengers and cargo, the surveyor is engaged for his services. He inspects the vessel, writes a report, hands over a list of recommendations and enforces all defects that need to be rectified as to comply with the insurance policy.


As a surveyor in this country one walks a tight rope, having the client on the one side needing his survey report for the Insurance company to operate, and on the other side a defect list that needs to be signed off on the vessel as to comply. The surveyor ends up being the bad guy because the vessel cannot operate. Threats and bribes from owners are a daily occurrence and The Ports and Harbour department are constantly overriding decisions made by the Surveyor.


There is a faint light at the end of this tunnel. The aid donor countries, namely Australia and New Zealand,


have initiated a program where an advisor / observer from one of these countries has been employed in a controlling position within the Ports and Harbour sector and is able to control the operations and enforce the laws in place.


We can only observe and encourage the recent position, and hope that common sense prevails and the corruption cancer stays out of the equation. This is sure to make life easier for all Surveyors operating in Vanuatu.


The Report • December 2017 • Issue 82 | 59


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