PNG Governement to pay for Vanuatu delegation to arts festival

The Papua New Guinea government is paying for the Vanuatu delegation to fly to Port Moresby, to ensure they can take part in this year's Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture, Radio New Zealand reports. So for, delegations from New Calendonia, Fiji, Solomon Islands have already arrived in Port Moresby.  The festival begins on June 28th, and will run for two weeks.

The Director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, Marcellin Abong, says the Vanuatu government could only afford to provide 1 million vatu, which would only allow two people to attend the festival.

He said as a result, he contacted the PNG government and the Melanesian Spearhead Group to ask for help to get their 83 Vanuatu artists to Port Moresby.

It is understood the assistance from the Papua New Guinea government, will fly the Vanuatu participants to this festival, these would cover cost for a charter package involving Air Vanuatu to fly the participants to PNG and back. The financial assistance is about 16 million vatu.

Marcellin Abong said he hopes the Vanuatu government can learn to recognise the importance of investing in arts and culture.

PNG Today/ Radio New Zealand